SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Submission Preview
EU says Apple violated app developers’ rights, could be fined 10% of revenue
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/06/eu-says-apple-violated-app-developers-rights-could-be-fined-10-of-revenue/ [arstechnica.com]
The European Commission today said it found that Apple is violating the Digital Markets Act (DMA) with App Store rules and fees that "prevent app developers from freely steering consumers to alternative channels for offers and content." The commission "informed Apple of its preliminary view" that the company is violating the law, the regulator announced [europa.eu].
This starts a process in which Apple has the right to examine documents in the commission's investigation file and reply in writing to the findings. There is a March 2025 deadline for the commission to make a final ruling.
[...]
Apple was further accused of charging excessive fees. The commission said that Apple is allowed to charge "a fee for facilitating via the App Store the initial acquisition of a new customer by developers," but "the fees charged by Apple go beyond what is strictly necessary for such remuneration. For example, Apple charges developers a fee for every purchase of digital goods or services a user makes within seven days after a link-out from the app."Apple says it charges a commission [apple.com] of 27 percent on sales "to the user for digital goods or services on your website after a link out... provided that the sale was initiated within seven days and the digital goods or services can be used in an app."
[...]
The commission today also announced it is starting a separate investigation into Apple's "contractual requirements for third-party app developers and app stores," including its "Core Technology Fee." Apple charges the Core Technology Fee [arstechnica.com] for app installs, whether they are delivered from Apple's own App Store, from an alternative app marketplace, or from a developer's own website. The first million installs each year are free, but a per-install fee of €0.50 applies after that.The commission said it would investigate whether the Core Technology Fee complies with the DMA.
