Apple Introduces Changes to App Store Policy in Compliance with EU Digital Law – Result Sparks Controversy
Apple announced a series of changes to its App Store policy today to comply with EU digital law. One of the major changes is the introduction of support for alternative app stores (referred to by Apple as “app markets”) for the first time in Europe.
These new rules immediately faced criticism from Epic’s CEO, Tim Sweeney, who expressed his opinion on the matter in a post on his X account. Sweeney believes that the new rules are an “anti-competitive scheme full of unjustified fees” and an example of “malicious subordination.”
Sweeney claims that Apple’s new policy is illegal according to the provisions of EU digital law because it forces developers to choose between traditional commission fees of 15/30% or an “equally illegal anti-competitive scheme full of new unjustified fees and taxes on payments they do not process.”
The introduction of “new fees” is likely referring to the new commission structure, which includes a fee for base technology (CTF). CTF is charged for each annual app download, amounting to €0.50 for each downloaded app instance per account within a year. This fee also applies to the use of other app markets every time a user downloads an alternative app store.
It is unclear what Sweeney means by “the introduction of new taxes on payments they do not process.” The new commission structure in the EU reduces Apple’s commission to 17% on app sales through the App Store, with an additional 3% for in-app purchases. Payments processed through alternative payment systems, however, are not subject to any commissions.
In the rest of his post on X, Sweeney states that Epic is determined to launch the Epic Games Store on iOS and Android. However, the current policy gives Apple the authority to decide whether to allow the launch of the Epic Games Store or not. He concludes by suggesting that there is a lot of “misinformation” in Apple’s announcement today and implies that the company intends to disclose more information in the future.
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The source of the article is from the blog japan-pc.jp