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Apple fined €900,000 in Italy

The Antitrust Authority fines three Apple companies for unfair business practices

The Italian Antitrust Authority has fined Apple €900,000 (US$1.2 million) for not giving consumers enough information about its guarantees, the authority said on Tuesday.

The Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato started an inquiry following a number of complaints from consumers and organizations, it said in a statement.

Apple Sales International, Apple Italia Srl and Apple Retail Italia share the fine, which is split into two parts: €400,000 for not providing consumers with enough information about guarantees afforded by the Italian Consumer Code and another €500,000 for giving users misleading information in order to sell more AppleCare packages, according to the Antitrust Authority.

Apple Sales International has to shoulder the largest burden and pay €540,000, while Apple Italia Srl and Apple Retail Italia have to pay €180,000 each.

The verdict isn't final, and Apple now has 60 days to appeal, according to a spokeswoman at Antitrust Authority.

The company didn't reply to questions about the fine or if it plans to appeal the decision.

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