French antitrust authorities, Autorité de la Concurrence, have hit Apple with a record 1.1 billion euros (around $1.23 billion) fine over anti-competitive practices. Apple was hit with a 25 million euro fine back in February over its software updates by French authorities.
The latest fine is a largest-ever handed by the French authorities in one case. Apple, as you would expect, denied the accusations and plans to appeal.
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French authorities said Apple participated in anti-competitive behaviour, with two of its wholesalers agreeing to not compete with each other. In fact, the authorities are also imposing fines on the two wholesalers, with Tech Data and Ingram Micro receiving fines of 76.1 million euros and 62.9 million euros respectively, reports CNBC.
“Apple and its two wholesalers agreed not to compete and prevent distributors from competing with each other, thereby sterilizing the wholesale market for Apple products,” said Isabelle de Silva, President of the French Competition Authority.
The authorities also found Apple guilty of preventing distributors from competing with each other, and the iPhone maker was also accused of limiting supply to its premium resellers as compared to its own stores.
“The French Competition Authority’s decision is disheartening. It relates to practices from over a decade ago and discards thirty years of legal precedent that all companies in France rely on with an order that will cause chaos for companies across all industries. We strongly disagree with them and plan to appeal,” an Apple spokesperson said in a statement.
r2d22
<p>finally… keep more and higher fine coming</p>