There has been much debate about Apple’s proposed App Store changes and whether they will satisfy antitrust regulators.
The EU has so far made no commitments, but said it would closely examine them and would not hesitate to “take strong action” if required…
Apple’s proposed App Store changes
Last week, Apple announced it would allow third-party App Stores, as well as offer developers in the EU an alternative business model that includes a lower commission for each app for more than one million installs in exchange for an annual fee.
The developers noted that Apple’s terms would make it virtually impossible to exit the App Store, and switching to an alternative contract would be risky. It has been widely suggested that Europe’s antitrust regulators will not accept the new terms as compliant with the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
The EU is ready to “take strong steps”.
The EU has yet to comment on Apple’s statement, but said it would study the plan in detail and, most importantly, seek the views of third parties, including developers.
Reuters reports.
Asked about Apple’s plans, EU industry chief Thierry Breton told Reuters exclusively: “The DMA will open the internet to competition to make digital markets fair and open. Change is already happening. “From March 7, we will evaluate the proposals of companies with the opinion of third parties.”
He added: “If the proposed solutions are not good enough, we will not hesitate to take strong action.”
These third-party reviews are guaranteed to include strong objections from developers. We’ve already seen major developers describe it as a “shameless insult” and a “step in the wrong direction,” and the criticism just keeps coming.
Andy Yen, founder and CEO of privacy-focused software firm Proton, said: “Allowing alternative payments and marketplaces seems positive on the surface, but the strings attached to Apple’s new policies mean that in practice developers won’t be able to take advantage of them. .”
Breton’s comments suggest that it will take some time for us to learn the EU’s position.
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