Title: Apple Disputes EU Antitrust Penalty, Announces App Store Rule Updates to Comply with DMA
EU applies pressure, prompting Apple to revise App Store regulations
Hey there! Apple's received some heat over antitrust violations recently but, in the spirit of avoiding further fines from the European Commission, it's shaking things up. On Thursday, June 26, Apple revealed modifications to its App Store rules in the European Union (EU) to align with the European Commission's requirements.
Last April, Brussels hit Apple with a whopping €500 million fine for anticompetitive practices in its app store. This penalty, shared with Meta, marked the beginning of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) enforcement.
The European Commission accused Apple of suppressing app providers' capacity to directly communicate with end-users to offer reduced prices on other channels. Apple, however, plans to change all that. The tech titan from Cupertino asserted it would now enable these providers to offer payment options within their apps.
More Changes on Horizon
But Apple's not backing down entirely, expressing disagreement with the European Commission's decision and vowing to contest it in court. The company declared, "The European Commission requires Apple to make a series of additional modifications to the App Store. We disagree with this decision and intend to appeal." Apple must file its lawsuit by July 7.
The European Commission remains tight-lipped, noting Apple's announcement and stating it will evaluate the new commercial conditions based on their compatibility with the DMA. The Commission intends to gather the opinions of affected parties before deciding on the next steps.
Other Changes:
- Developers can now indirectly promote offers for digital goods or services across multiple platforms — external websites, alternative app marketplaces, even other apps!
- Apple has streamlined the user interface for external links, reducing the intrusive "scare sheet" to a one-time warning per app.
- Apple's introduced new business terms and fees for developers who opt to enable external purchases. The layout includes an initial acquisition fee, a store services fee, and a Core Technology Commission representing a 5% commission on outside App Store purchases.
- Expect a single business model by January 1, 2026, replacing the Core Technology Fee with the Core Technology Commission for digital goods and services.
- Starting with iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6, users will gain the ability to install alternative app marketplaces or download apps directly from developers' websites.
Developers embrace the newfound marketing flexibility, though they remain wary of the new fees imposed by Apple.Users and regulators keep a watchful eye to ensure Apple fully complies with the legal requirements without hobbling competition.
Here's to seeing how this story unfolds! Stay tuned for more updates.
The industry-leading tech titan, Apple, plans to adjust its App Store rules in the European Union (EU) to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), while disagreement with the EU Commission's decision persists as they intend to contest it in court. As part of these changes, Apple will now enable app providers to offer payment options within their apps, promoting business opportunities in the finance sector.
