Imagine this: you tap to buy an in-app skin or song, and a chunk of your cash vanishes in fees. 📱💸 This week, a coalition of 20 app developers and consumer groups urged EU regulators to enforce the Digital Markets Act (DMA) against Apple's fee practices.
The DMA, effective since 2023, labels Apple as a gatekeeper and demands that big platforms allow fee-free in-app transactions outside their own systems. Earlier this year, the European Commission fined Apple €500 million for blocking developers from guiding users to cheaper payment options.
It's now six months since the Commission ruled Apple's old policies illegal under the DMA—but developers say little has changed.
In response to the fine, Apple updated its terms: smaller developers now pay 13%, and App Store purchases carry a 20% cut—with penalties of 5–15% for external transactions. The Coalition for Apps Fairness (CAF), representing firms like Deezer and Proton, argues these charges still break DMA rules and leave European creators at a disadvantage.
'We want the EU Commission to tell Apple that the law is the law and that free of charge means free of charge,' says Gene Burrus, global policy counsel for the CAF. Burrus warns that EU developers must either swallow these fees or pass them on to users—a lose-lose for everyone.
The CAF warns the situation is untenable and damaging to the app economy, accusing Apple of undermining transparency and stifling innovation. Although Apple has announced further policy tweaks set for January, details remain vague—fueling frustration across the developer community.
Now, all eyes are on EU regulators: will they use the DMA's full force to ensure Apple's fee-free promise is more than just a buzzword? Stay tuned—app economies everywhere are watching. 🚀
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
