Apple App Store Changes Being Studied by Dutch Antitrust Watchdog to Check Compliance With Order

Apple is under pressure in many countries over the commissions it charges on in-app purchases.

By Reuters | Updated: 7 February 2022 17:59 IST

Apple is arguing that alternative payment systems pose a security risk to users

Highlights

Apple on January 15 asserted it had complied with the Dutch regulator
Apple said it would still charge a 27 percent commission
Apple is separately appealing the ACM's original December decision

The Dutch antitrust watchdog on Monday said it is studying whether a new round of changes Apple has announced to its App Store terms and conditions in the Netherlands will bring it into compliance with national law.

The Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has been levying weekly fines of EUR 5 million (roughly Rs. 42 crore) on Apple since January 24, saying the company had failed to open its app store to allow dating app providers in the Netherlands to use alternative payment methods.

Apple is under pressure in many countries over the commissions it charges on in-app purchases, with the US Senate approving a bill on Thursday that would bar Apple and Google from requiring users to use their payment systems.

Apple Music Free Trial Slashed Down From Three to One Month: Report

Apple on January 15 asserted it had complied with the Dutch regulator's December order covering only dating apps like Match Group's Tinder, but the regulator responded that Apple hadn't actually yet made changes - it had just indicated it would.

On February 3, Apple made a further statement on its blog, apparently laying out how developers could now implement the alternative payment methods.

One important footnote was that Apple said it would still charge a 27 percent commission on in-app payments it does not process, only slightly below the 30 percent it currently charges. The company said that is "consistent with the ACM order".

Apple, Broadcom Win New Trial in $1.1 Billion Caltech Patent Case

A spokesperson for the ACM said the agency was studying Apple's changes and would respond soon.

Apple is separately appealing the ACM's original December decision, arguing that alternative payment systems pose a security risk to users.

Are Oppo's new flagship phones any good? We discuss this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details.

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.