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Apple’s brawl with the EU has become a never-ending story. After the iPhone maker was forced to allow app sideloading on iOS to comply with the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA), the continent’s antitrust chief has now scrutinized Apple over its new fee structure. The EU official has also issued a similar warning to Meta.
Speaking with Reuters on Tuesday, EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager noted that Apple’s plan to take new fees prevents users from enjoying the DMA and might dissuade them from using alternative app stores.
In January, Apple revamped the App Store policies to comply with DMA. As a part of this, app developers can now distribute their apps via alternative app stores, which means they can evade paying a 30% commission to Apple. But if you think Apple will forget its commission, you’re building castles in the air.
EU Antitrust Chief oversees Apple’s compliance with DMA
Apple still demands 50 euro cents per user account per year from app developers. Additionally, developers with entitlement to the App Store Small Business policy should pay a 12% commission, and others are entitled to a 27% fee. Taking fees from developers who want to use alternative app stores has also led Epic to file a new lawsuit against Apple.
On paper, Apple has fully complied with DMA rules. Meanwhile, EU’s Vestager said, “There are things that we take a keen interest in, for instance, if the new Apple fee structure will de facto not make it in any way attractive to use the benefits of the DMA. That kind of thing is what we will be investigating.”
Complying with DMA exposes users to security risks, Apple says
Vestager also added that discouraging users from migrating to alternative services might lead to an investigation. According to Vestager, developers’ feedback helps her to investigate the DMA violations by companies.
“I would think of it as unwise to say that the services are not safe to use because that has nothing to do with the DMA. she said. “The DMA is there to open the market for other service providers to get to you and how your service provider of your operating system, how they will make sure that it is safe is for them to decide.”
Apple claimed that complying with some DMA rules could expose users to security risks. Conversely, an EU official threatened the tech giant with “Strong action” if it failed to comply with the DMA.