The Federal Cartel Office’s decision follows a three-year investigation into Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature, which enables users to block advertisers from tracking them across different applications.

While Jobs’ Mob argues that the tool enhances user privacy, critics—including Meta Platforms, app developers, and startups—contend it hampers businesses reliant on advertising-based revenue models.

Federal Cartel Office president Andreas Mundt said: “The ATTF (app tracking tool) makes it far more difficult for competing app publishers to access the user data relevant for advertising.”

In response, Jobs’ Mob told Reuters that it “holds itself to a higher standard than it requires of any third-party developer.” The company added: “We ... will continue to constructively engage with the Federal Cartel Office to ensure users continue to have transparency and control over their data.”

Apple must now fix the concerns outlined in the charge sheet or risk further legal proceedings and daily fines. A final ruling could arrive later this year, but it is more likely to be issued in 2025.

The investigation was initiated following complaints from associations representing publishers, broadcasters, advertisers, ad tech firms, and advertising agencies.

Partner at Hausfeld, representing the complainants, Thomas Höppner, said: “Today’s charges are groundbreaking. Apple’s measures had created an artificial opacity in its ecosystem that led to less choice, higher app costs, and less protection against ad fraud, all while boosting Apple’s revenues from services.”

 “For the first time, it has been clarified that Apple may not rely on pretextual privacy arguments to massively restrict competition in its favour,” he added.

Companies violating Germany’s antitrust laws can face fines of up to 10 per cent of their annual turnover.