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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallYes, the European Union found Apple in breach of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), but the confirmed fine was €500 million—not $38 billion. The European Commission announced the anti-steering decision on April 23, 2025. The $38 billion figure is not supported by the Commission’s decision or its latest DMA implementation report. Apple had appealed the decision, while the Commission continued reviewing Apple’s revised App Store terms, according to the Commission’s May 22, 2026 report.
What the EU found Apple did wrong
The case concerned the DMA’s anti-steering obligation. In practical terms, Apple’s App Store rules restricted developers from telling customers about cheaper or different purchasing options outside the App Store, linking users to those offers, and completing transactions through alternative payment channels.
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The Commission said those technical and commercial restrictions prevented developers from fully informing customers about alternatives and prevented consumers from benefiting from them. Its formal non-compliance announcement is dated April 23, 2025 (European Commission announcement).
A simple example
A streaming app might offer a subscription for less on its own website because it does not pay the same App Store charges. Under the rules challenged by the Commission, the developer could face limits on how it tells an iPhone user about that price or directs the user to the website. The DMA requires Apple to remove restrictions that have that steering effect.
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How much was Apple fined?
| Item | Verified amount or status |
|---|---|
| Penalty in the Commission decision | €500 million (€500,000,000) |
| Approximate dollar value | About $570 million in contemporaneous reporting; the conversion depends on the date and exchange rate (Associated Press) |
| Alleged $38 billion penalty | Not supported by the official EU decision or the Commission’s later DMA report |
The official EUR-Lex decision summary records the penalty as exactly €500,000,000 (EUR-Lex). The Commission said it considered the gravity and duration of Apple’s non-compliance when setting the amount. This was an administrative DMA fine, not a consumer-damages award or a finding that all App Store commissions are unlawful.
What Apple was ordered to change
The Commission required Apple to:
- Remove technical restrictions that prevent developers from steering users to outside offers.
- Remove commercial restrictions with the same effect.
- Stop the non-compliant conduct.
- Avoid adopting future measures with an equivalent object or effect.
The remedy matters as much as the money because it concerns how developers communicate prices and how customers can pay. The Commission’s decision materials are available in its press release (Commission decision materials).
Why the $38 billion claim is not established
No official source identified for this case says that Apple was fined $38 billion, currently faces that amount, or has been ordered to pay it. The Commission’s decision identifies €500 million, and its 2026 report refers to that same Apple penalty.
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The number could be a headline error, a mistaken conversion, a calculation based on worldwide revenue, an estimate of lost App Store commissions, a separate tax or damages claim, or confusion with a statutory maximum or another company’s case. Without the original document behind the $38 billion figure, none of those explanations can be confirmed. It should not be presented as an EU penalty.
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The Commission’s DMA implementation report published May 22, 2026 says Apple appealed the non-compliance decision. It also says the Commission was assessing changes Apple and Google made to their app-store terms. Related Apple proceedings involving alternative app distribution remained open in the context described by the report as of March 2026 (2026 DMA implementation report).
That status does not establish that Apple won or lost the appeal, that the fine was finally upheld, or that Apple has paid it. Those outcomes require a later court or Commission document.
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Other Apple DMA matters are separate
The €500 million fine should not be merged with other proceedings:
Alternative app stores and web distribution
In a separate matter, the Commission issued preliminary findings that Apple’s contractual terms could discourage developers from creating third-party app stores, distributing apps through alternative marketplaces, or offering apps directly from the web. The Commission specifically cited the Core Technology Fee and related conditions. Preliminary findings were not the final anti-steering decision that produced the €500 million fine (Commission announcement).
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Browser and default choices
The Commission closed a separate user-choice investigation after Apple changed its browser-choice screen and made it easier to change defaults for calling, messaging, call filtering, keyboards, password managers and translation services. That closure did not resolve every Apple DMA issue.
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Which Apple services are designated
Apple is designated under the DMA for the App Store, iOS, Safari and iPadOS (Commission DMA Q&A). In February 2026, the Commission decided not to designate Apple Ads or Apple Maps as DMA gatekeeper services (Commission decision announcement).
What the decision could mean for consumers
- Developers may be able to show external prices, links and payment options more openly.
- Some purchases could move outside Apple’s billing system.
- Refunds, subscription cancellation, tax handling and customer support may follow the external provider’s procedures instead of Apple’s.
- Alternative payment pages can create additional privacy, fraud and security considerations.
- Prices may fall in some apps, but the DMA does not require every developer to offer a discount or an external payment route.
The EU rule expands the opportunity to choose; it does not guarantee that every app will be cheaper or that every alternative will provide the same protections as Apple’s system.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What it means for developers
- More scope to explain outside offers and link users to them in the EU.
- Potential access to alternative app-distribution channels where Apple’s terms and EU rules permit it.
- More responsibility for payment processing, fraud controls, refunds, taxes, subscriptions and support when transactions occur outside Apple’s system.
- Additional fees and contractual complexity, including issues surrounding Apple’s alternative business terms and Core Technology Fee.
A legal ability to steer is not the same as a requirement to do so. A developer may continue using Apple billing for convenience, reach or customer trust.
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Does this change Apple worldwide?
No. The DMA applies to Apple’s designated services and operations in the European Union. A remedy adopted for EU users does not automatically impose the same interface, payment or distribution rules in the United States or other regions. Apple’s security and privacy arguments also remain part of the policy debate; the Commission’s finding was that Apple had not shown the challenged restrictions were objectively necessary and proportionate in the circumstances of this case.
The bottom line on the headline
Apple’s DMA violation is real, and the European Commission imposed a €500 million fine for anti-steering restrictions. Apple appealed, and related compliance work was still being assessed in the Commission’s May 2026 report. The alleged $38 billion penalty is unverified and should not be reported as an EU fine.
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