The EU isn’t happy with Apple’s tax on alternative app stores

The European Commission has just issued its first Digital Markets Act (DMA) fines to Apple and Meta, and now it’s telling Apple that it’s not impressed with the company’s approach to alternative app stores. The DMA originally forced Apple to begrudgingly allow alternative app stores on iOS in EU countries last year, but the fee structure imposed on developers and the daunting user installation process have led the European Commission to issue preliminary findings against Apple. “Developers wanting to use alternative app distribution channels on iOS are disincentivized from doing so as this requires them to opt for business terms which include a new fee (Apple’s Core Technology Fee),” says the European Commission. “Apple also introduced overly strict eligibility requirements, hampering developers’ ability to distribute their apps through alternative channels.” Apple’s controversial Core Technology Fee (CTF) applies to developers who want to distribute their apps on third-party app mar ... Read full article.