Apple has been accused by the European Commission of manipulating the music streaming sector. 

EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager has led the charge, saying in a statement the U.S.-based tech giant "deprives users of cheaper music streaming choices and distorts competition."

Apple reportedly charges high commission fees to competitors and, crucially, bans them from advertising other subscription models through the App Store, according to Vestager. 

The "charge" follows a complaint filed by Swedish streaming firm Spotify and others, which accused the tech behemoth of unfairly promoting its own Apple Music product in the App Store.

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Apple responded by accusing the firms of wanting "all the benefits … but don't think they should have to pay anything."

Vestager said Apple was "in breach of EU competition law" but it was a preliminary decision.

This is the latest competition case against "Big Tech" firms including Apple, Google and Amazon, which the Commission sees as "gatekeepers" to the internet – as their dominance means smaller firms must play by their rules to gain market access.