Apple announces changes to App Store for EU developers due to Digital Markets Act. Spotify CEO criticizes Apple for proposed fees, calling them extortion. Apple claims new rules benefit developers and offer choice.
Apple
recently announced wholesale
changes
coming to the App Store, developers in the
European Union
. The company’s hand was forced by the
EU
under the
Digital Markets Act
and it reluctantly has to open its high-walled gardens of the Apple ecosystem. However, it looks like
Spotify
is still not happy with the changes Apple will implement. In a blog post, Daniel Ek, CEO, Spotify called out Apple’s arrogance and says thing are perhaps going to get worse for developers like Spotify.
“Apple has just shown the world, they don’t think the rules apply to them,” wrote Ek in the blog post. He said that Apple had “behaved badly for years” and now “under the false pretense of compliance and concessions, they put forward a new plan that is a complete and total
farce
. Essentially, the old tax was rendered unacceptable under the DMA, so they created a new one masquerading as compliance with the law.”
Under the new rules, Apple has proposed developers a 0.50 cent Euro fee per download, every year, in perpetuity, to Apple for just allowing developers to exist on iOS. “This is extortion, plain and simple. If Apple’s already charging a commission of 17% (and 10% for recurring payments) on digital goods purchased, why would they also need to charge an annual flat fee for every user?” Ek argued.
Ek believes that Apple has proposed an unworkable alternative “that developers would have to be locked into until the end of their businesses.”
What Apple has to say to Ek’s claims
In a statement given to 9to5Mac, Apple said that under the new rules, more than 99% of the developers would pay the same or less to Apple. “We’re happy to support the success of all developers — including Spotify, which has the most successful music streaming app in the world. The changes we’re sharing for apps in the European Union give developers choice — with new options to distribute iOS apps and process payments. Every developer can choose to stay on the same terms in place today.”
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