From time to time, the Company has made changes to its App Store, including actions taken in response to litigation, competition, market conditions and legal and regulatory requirements. The Company expects to make further business changes in the future. For example, in the U.S. the Company has implemented changes to how developers communicate with consumers within apps on the U.S. storefront of the iOS and iPadOS App Store regarding alternative purchasing mechanisms.
The Company has also implemented changes to iOS, iPadOS, the App Store and Safari in the EU as it seeks to comply with the DMA, including new business terms and alternative fee structures for iOS and iPadOS apps, alternative methods of distribution for iOS and iPadOS apps, alternative payment processing for apps across the Company’s operating systems, and additional tools and APIs for developers. The Company has also continued to make changes to its compliance plan in response to feedback and engagement with the European Commission (the “Commission”). Although the Company’s compliance plan is intended to address the DMA’s obligations, it has been challenged by the Commission and may be challenged further by private litigants. The DMA provides for significant fines and penalties for noncompliance, and other jurisdictions may seek to require the Company to make changes to its business. While the changes introduced by the Company in the EU are intended to reduce new privacy and security risks that the DMA poses to EU users, many risks will remain.
The Company is also currently subject to antitrust investigations and litigation in various jurisdictions around the world, which can result in legal proceedings and claims against the Company that could, individually or in the aggregate, have a materially adverse impact on the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition. For example, the Company is subject to civil antitrust lawsuits in the U.S. alleging monopolization or attempted monopolization in the markets for “performance smartphones” and “smartphones” generally in violation of U.S. antitrust laws. In addition, the Company is the subject of investigations in Europe and other jurisdictions relating to App Store terms and conditions. If such investigations or litigation are resolved against the Company, the Company can be exposed to significant fines and may be required to make further changes to its business practices, all of which could materially adversely affect the Company’s business, reputation, results of operations and financial condition.
Further, the Company has commercial relationships with other companies in the technology industry that are or may become subject to investigations and litigation that, if resolved against those other companies, could materially adversely affect the Company’s commercial relationships with those business partners and materially adversely affect the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition. For example, the Company earns revenue from licensing arrangements with Google LLC and other companies to offer their search services on the Company’s platforms and applications, and certain of these arrangements are currently subject to government investigations and legal proceedings.
There can be no assurance the Company’s business will not be materially adversely affected, individually or in the aggregate, by the outcomes of such investigations, litigation or changes to laws and regulations in the future. Changes to the Company’s business practices to comply with new laws and regulations or in connection with other legal proceedings can negatively impact the reputation of the Company’s products for privacy and security and otherwise adversely affect the experience for users of the Company’s products and services, and result in harm to the Company’s reputation, loss of competitive advantage, poor market acceptance, reduced demand for products and services, and lost sales.