The European Commission's powerful competition regulator on Monday slapped Apple with a 1.8-billion-euro ($1.9-billion) penalty, the third biggest antitrust fine by the European Union.

Here are the five largest antitrust fines on big tech firms in EU history:

1. Google Android (2018)

The EU's biggest fine was 4.3 billion euros ordered against Google for abusing the dominant position of its Android mobile operating system to promote Google's search engine.

A court in 2022 said the fine should be reduced to 4.125 billion euros after reviewing the duration of the infringement.

Google is appealing the fine in the EU's highest court.

2. Google Shopping (2017)

The commission hits the internet giant with a fine of 2.4 billion euros as the world's most popular search engine is caught out for giving an illegal advantage to its Google Shopping service in search results.

Google challenged the fine in the EU courts. In January this year, the European Court of Justice's top adviser recommended the fine be upheld.

Although such opinions are not binding, they do carry weight and are often followed by EU judges in their rulings.

3. Apple (2024)

The commission hits the iPhone maker with a 1.8-billion-euro fine for preventing European users from accessing cheaper alternative payment options for music streaming services, affecting millions of people.

Apple says it will appeal, setting the stage for another long drawn-out legal affair with a US tech giant.

4. Google (2019)

In its third biggest fine on Google, the commission tells the company to cough up 1.49 billion euros for stifling competition in the online advertising business.

Google is also seeking to overturn the fine in the EU courts.

5. Intel (2009)

US chipmaker Intel is ordered to pay 1.06 billion euros after the commission finds that the company had offered clients price rebates to use its own computer chips in preference to those of its rival AMD.

A top EU court later annulled the penalty and Brussels imposed a new fine of 376 million euros in September 2023.

© 2024 AFP