Apple and Amazon Under Investigation in Spain for Possible Anti-Competitive Practices

Apple and Amazon are facing antitrust disciplinary proceedings in Spain for possible restrictive competition practices around the sale of Apple products, it has emerged.

CNMC spain
In a press release, the country's National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC) said it had initiated the proceedings against both companies for "possible anti-competition practices in the sectors of Internet sales of electronic products and the provision of marketing services to third-party retailers through online platforms."

The independent consumer interest body said it had access to "certain information" from which it had found "rational indications" that Amazon and Apple are in breach of laws related to the defense of competition and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Specifically:

The possible unlawful conduct would consist of an agreement between both groups that would include possible restrictions on the Amazon website in Spain regarding:

(i) The retail sale of APPLE products by third parties;
(ii) Certain advertising of competing Apple products and certain campaigns directed at Apple customers by Amazon;
(iii) Other commercial restrictions.

The CNMC announcement does not prejudge the final result of the investigation, which will occur over a maximum period of 18 months before a final resolution is made.

Popular Stories

iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
iphone 17 cyber

iPhone 17 Demand Is Breaking Apple's Sales Records

Tuesday December 2, 2025 9:44 am PST by
Apple's iPhone 17 lineup is selling well enough that Apple is on track to ship more than 247.4 million total iPhones in 2025, according to a new report from IDC. Total 2025 shipments are forecast to grow 6.1 percent year over year due to iPhone 17 demand and increased sales in China, a major market for Apple. Overall worldwide smartphone shipments across Android and iOS are forecast to...
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
Touchscreen MacBook Feature

Here Are the Four MacBooks Apple Is Expected to Launch Next Year

Monday December 1, 2025 5:00 am PST by
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop. Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...

Top Rated Comments

Jglez Avatar
58 months ago
Lol, I am the first one to be critical of governments when they do something stupid, but seeing the comments here I feel like the following needs to be made clear, before other funny theories are posted:


* Spain is a western nation within the EU. The judicial system works independent from politics and is rule-based (not opinion based). Therefore a charge against Apple/Amazon can only be made if they broke one of the rules, if they didn’t then the judicial system cannot charge them, and even if they did it wouldn’t be held up in court. Therefore the theory that this is them looking for funds is ridiculous. Obviously if they broke a rule (in other words law) of course they should be charged and punished for such.
* As hurt as the economy might be in Spain due to the pandemic, they are the biggest receiver of EU funds (in the billions) for economic recovery. The costs therefore for the goverment are covered for the years to come, even if they have lost in taxes collected like every other country on earth during the pandemic.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bollman Avatar
58 months ago
Don't try to sway the Apple apologists with facts, it's no use ;)
Apple can do no harm, any investigation into Apple's business practices is only a money grab, nothing else. Please remember that :P
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jglez Avatar
58 months ago

Is "National Commission on Markets and Competition" part of their Judicial system or just a government commission?
CNMC is independent from the government, has judicial power and is under parliamentary control.

They explain the structure on their own website. Here is the page. ('https://www.cnmc.es/sobre-la-cnmc/que-es-la-cnmc')
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
project_2501 Avatar
58 months ago
All those people thinking this is about Spain wanting to find money are living in iCloud cuckoo land.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
justperry Avatar
58 months ago

#ustoo. Apple should just keep increasing the price of iPhones in yuropoor. All these useless lawsuits hurt consumers, not help.

p.s. I am from Europe and currently live in Europe. Apple and Amazon are the least of these corrupt countries' concerns.
So, in essence, you like lawlessness.

Fines should be given any time a person or a company breaks the law.
If Amazon/Apple broke the law they should be fined.

I get sick of these people here claiming country X needs cash, mostly in the EU, mostly from Apple can do no harm US posters, and no, I am not sorry to say it this way, those posters are being just ridiculous is an understatement.


It's ok. It's just the Spanish government looking for any possible source of funds.

They are broke so they are searching everywhere.....
Did you forgot the sarcasm emoji or is this comment for real, if real, you can't possibly be serious.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jglez Avatar
58 months ago

Did you just say Spain has a reliable judicial system? It's corrupt to the core.

I say this as somebody who lives in Spain, runs two businesses and deals with the judicial system constantly.
That's your opinion.
Factually speaking the Spanish judicial system has been reviewed many thousands of times and it comes out in the rankings every year just as high as every other EU country.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)