Mark Zuckerberg in front of the Facebook logoSource: iMore

What you need to know

  • Facebook has formally submitted complaints about Apple to the EU.
  • It reportedly listed "a number of complaints" in a formal submission to an EU consultation.
  • Facebook was asked if it had encountered issues concerning trading conditions on large online platform companies.

Facebook has formally submitted its gripes with Apple and the App Store to the EU in response to a consultation document from the body.

According to Business Insider:

Facebook has dug the knife into Apple, complaining to the EU with the express aim of docking the iPhone maker's power.

In a formal submission to an EU consultation on Tuesday, Facebook listed a number of complaints about the way Apple runs the App Store.

As the report notes, the EU is consulting on its Digital Services Act, which aims to weaken the power wielded by massive tech companies like Amazon, Apple, and Google.

The report notes that in a consultation document from the EU, Facebook was asked "As a business user of large online platforms, do you encounter issues concerning trading conditions on large online platform companies?"

Facebook is reported to have ticked yes and replied:

"The App Store is effectively the only way for developers to reach consumers on Apple devices... Like any app developer, we have faced challenges in the application of Apple's policies and technical controls around in-app payments, gaming apps, log-in tools, and online advertising ... In each category, Apple has made policy and enforcement decisions that privilege its own services and revenue streams to the detriment of others."

Apple and Facebook have publicly fallen out on numerous occasions in recent weeks. Just yesterday Mark Zuckerberg told Axios that Apple's App Store behavior "certainly raises questions" and deserved scrutiny.

Facebook also lamented an upcoming iOS feature that will significantly reduce the impact of ad tracking on iOS users:

Facebook's second major complaint didn't specifically name Apple, but appeared to pertain to an upcoming iOS feature.

"We are particularly concerned about policy changes that may affect developers' ability to offer services that compete with the platform's own services. For example, large operating system/app store platforms increasingly are imposing tight restrictions around developers' access to data and to combine data collected across different apps and websites," Facebook wrote.

Facebook has been vocal about upcoming iOS 14 restrictions it says will make its targeted advertising less effective.

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