Apple is doing major changesa the App Store and other core parts of iOS in Europe in response to new European Union laws. Starting in March, Apple will allow EU users to download apps and make purchases from outside its App Store. The company is already testing many of these changes in its iOS 17.4 beta, which is now available to developers.
Apple has long resisted many of these changes, arguing that they would leave users susceptible to scams, malware, and other privacy and security issues. But under the EU Digital Markets Act, which comes into force on March 7, major tech companies like Apple must make significant changes to their businesses.
In a statement, Apple's Phil Schiller made it clear that the company still believes that some of these changes, such as the opening of its App Store, will pose a risk to users. “The changes we are announcing today meet the requirements of the Digital Markets Act in the European Union, while helping to protect EU users from the inevitable increased threats to privacy and security that this regulation brings” , said.
The most significant changes will be for developers, who for the first time will be able to accept payments and distribute applications from outside the App Store. The company is changing its often-criticized commission structure so that developers will pay 17 percent for subscriptions and in-app purchases and the fee will drop to 10 percent for “most developers” after of the first year.
At the same time, Apple is also adding a new 3 percent “payment processing” fee for transactions made through its store. And a new “core technology fee” will charge a flat fee of 0.50 euros for everyone, regardless of whether they come from the App Store or a third-party website, after the first million installations. According to Apple, the new fee structure will result in most developers paying the company less than they currently do, as the core technology fee will have the biggest impact on larger developers.
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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/pple-details-how-third-party-app-stores-and-payments-will-work-in-europe-183931334.html?src=rss
