Next to Numerous changes that Apple is making to its platforms. To comply with the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA), the company is also updating its rules on game streaming services and other apps that provide access to applets or games. The changes could affect companies like Netflix, which has expanded into mobile and cloud gaming in recent months, as well as the efforts of other tech giants like OpenAI, which offers a GPT store, and Meta, which in 2022 had closed its attempt to run a standalone Facebook Gaming app after failing to gain traction.
According to an announcement that Apple published on Thursday, developers around the world can now present a single application that has the ability to stream all the games offered in its catalog.
This is a change from previous rules that said each individual game offered to iOS users had to appear on its own separate App Store page, a requirement that Apple said was necessary to properly review and vet rankings. by age and compliance with each application. with the App Store review guidelines.
The goal is most likely to encourage companies that prefer to launch a standalone app store for games (which is now allowed in the EU by the DMA) to do so on Apple's App Store, where Apple takes a cut. of in-app purchases. shopping.
Microsoft, in particular, had been weighing the option of launching its own mobile game store, it was reported last year. Additionally, Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, also wanted to distribute its games through its own game store, and sued Apple over antitrust concerns in hopes of taking advantage of that opportunity. But Apple largely won its court battle in the US, and was only forced to comply with the only provision that now allows developers to point to their own payment systems and websites from within their apps.
It remains to be seen how these companies will respond to Apple's new options.
In addition to allowing individual apps to host streaming games, Apple says mini-games, mini-apps, chatbots and add-ons will now also be able to incorporate Apple's in-app purchasing system into their apps.
This adjustment appears to focus on concerns raised about OpenAI's GPT store, which functions as a sort of app store for custom ai chatbots that function similarly to ChatGPT, but are designed for specific purposes. With the GPT Store and the rise of ai in general, Apple could lose a potential source of revenue if users were to browse and discover paid or subscription-based chatbots from a larger app. This measure consolidates that even those types of services will be subject to Apple's in-app purchase rules and the 15% to 30% commissions that come with them.
Apple noted that every app, in-app game, or in-app experience will still have to meet the App Store Review Guidelines, meaning Apple would need to review ai chatbots, or GPT, if OpenAI decided to carry them. to iOS users instead Only those on the web. It also said that the app's overall rating would have to reflect the content with the highest age rating on the app.
In connection with this and other changes, Apple is also launching more than 50 new reports for developers through the App Store Connect API that will help them analyze the performance of their app in areas such as engagement (the number of users who interact with an app or share it with others), commerce (information about sales, pre-orders, downloads, and transactions via IAP), app usage (crashes, active devices, installs, deletions), and framework usage (for example, how you interact with CarPlay, Widgets, PhotoPicker and more). .).
Apple is also removing the requirement for developers to add Sign in with Apple along with other sign-in options offered for their apps. Instead, developers who use social or third-party logins for their app can offer another “privacy-focused login service” if they choose.
