The European Union regulators have recently accused Apple of violating new tech regulations that prohibit the restriction of customers from using alternative platforms within the App Store. In their preliminary findings, the European Commission stated that Apple’s App Store rules hinder app developers from freely directing consumers to alternative channels for offers and content. This goes against the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which was implemented to limit the dominance of major technology companies like Apple.
Apart from the breach of anti-steering rules, the EU has also initiated a fresh probe into Apple’s new contractual terms with developers. This investigation is part of a larger examination started in March, focusing on Apple, Alphabet, and Meta under the DMA. The regulators are particularly interested in whether Apple is imposing unjust restrictions on app developers that prevent them from promoting offers and concluding contracts through channels of their choice.
Additionally, the European Commission criticized Apple for the fees it charges developers for acquiring new customers through the App Store. According to the regulators, these charges exceed what is considered “strictly necessary,” although the specific threshold for an acceptable fee was not disclosed. Apple’s system of steering users to external webpages for making purchases, such as subscriptions, was also scrutinized for its limitations imposed on app developers.
As of now, Apple has not yet publicly responded to these accusations made by the EU regulators. CNBC has contacted Apple for comment, but the tech giant remains silent on the matter. The ball is in Apple’s court to address these concerns raised by the European Commission and possibly make changes to comply with the DMA guidelines.
Apple finds itself in hot water with the European Union over its App Store policies and contractual terms with developers. The company’s alleged violation of anti-steering rules and excessive fees for developers has brought it under the scrutiny of EU regulators. It remains to be seen how Apple will navigate through this investigation and whether it will make adjustments to its practices to adhere to the new tech rules mandated by the DMA.