Looks like their net profit globally is like $90-100B per year. If you think of the share of profit that's coming just from the UK, this is probably very sizeable as a penalty.

apparently people will make this same comment every single time whether it's a $2M fine or a $2B fine

Why even have fines when they amount to an insignificant cost of doing business? What is the purpose? If the purpose is to deter companies from doing some thing, then a fine that equals a tiny number of days revenue is not providing any kind of deterrence.

Isn’t this a counter factual that can’t be proved? How do you know it won’t deter other companies?

The thread is not about other companies. It's about Apple, and they can eat a one-time $2B fine for breakfast without even noticing it. It's not much of a deterrence. I'll be convinced the law has teeth when they're fined $2B daily until they take corrective action.

(Shrug) Illegal with a fine is legal for a price. Apple can easily afford the price.

That's why you head them off with $3Q fines.