New year, same old issues for Apple and the App Store. Apple Insider ran a piece a couple of weeks back, outlining changes demanded of the App Store in the Netherlands. According to the report:
Authorities in the country have been investigating Apple's App Store since 2019 on allegations that the company abuses its dominance in the marketplace. In a decision unsealed on Friday (24 December), but made in October, Dutch regulators ruled that Apple's requirement that developers use its in-app payment system was anti-competitive.
And now, Apple has to change it. A piece from 9 to 5 Mac indicates that Apple will be required to let developers employ payment systems besides Apple’s in their applications - provided their applications are dating apps. According to 9 to 5 Mac, “the demand seems to be focused on dating apps like Tinder for some reason.” According to a statement from Dutch regulators:
Dating-app providers are currently not able to choose freely a payment system for purchases made in their dating apps by consumers. [suspended] If Apple does not adjust the unreasonable conditions within two months, it will have to pay a periodic penalty of 5 million euros per week up to a maximum of 50 million euros. In this way, [the regulator] seeks to improve the situation for app providers regarding Apple’s unreasonable conditions.
The Apple Insider piece says Dutch authorities expect the changes to be made by 15 January. No word yet on Apple’s plans.
