Spotify, Epic Games, Deezer, Paddle, and various other developers and EU associations collaborated on a joint letter to the European Commission to express their concerns about Apple’s “proposed scheme for compliance” with the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
According to 34 companies and associations, Apple’s plans do not comply with the law’s requirements. Apple’s modifications go against both the spirit and letter of the law and, if not revised, will undermine the DMA, as stated in the letter. Apple’s plan emphasizes various components, such as the Core Technology Fee, the Notarization Process, and the terms developers need to agree to.
- Apple’s demand for developers to either stick with the existing App Store terms or agree to new terms presents them with a challenging decision, leading to increased complexity and uncertainty. The letter indicates that both options fail to comply with DMA regulations and would further strengthen Apple’s dominance in digital markets.
- The Core Technology Fee and transaction fees may hinder competition and discourage developers from accepting the terms they find unfair.
- Apple is using privacy and security concerns as a reason to restrict user choice. Apple’s proposed “scare screens” are expected to provide misleading information and negatively impact the user experience.
- Apple’s decision to restrict sideloading is hindering developers from easily and safely installing and using alternative app stores.
Companies and associations are calling on the European Union to act quickly and decisively against Apple. It will be a critical test of the DMA’s effectiveness for Europe’s citizens and economy to see how the European Commission responds to Apple’s proposal.
Apple has until March 7 to follow the Digital Markets Act, and the changes to the app environment are already built into iOS 17.4. iOS 17.4 is expected to be released early next week, along with the implementation of alternative app marketplaces, alternative payment methods, and the new terms for developers set by Apple.
Apple recently released a whitepaper detailing the risks it aims to address through the notarization process and additional requirements for alternative app marketplaces and their apps.
