Apple squashes EU beef with new App Store rules
Developing story first seen 2 hours ago
Apple has confirmed new App Store rules for the European Union, taking effect on 1 October, which it says will resolve its long-running disagreements with the European Commission over business terms and alternative app distribution. All developers distributing apps will move onto a single set of business terms, with Apple dropping several previous charges, including the acquisition fee, store services fee and the €0.50-per-install Core Technology Fee, in favour of a simplified structure.
Under the new terms, Apple will charge a 26% commission for App Store purchases made via its own payment system, 20% for those using alternative payment providers, and 15% on purchases that link out of the app, with reduced rates for smaller developers and those in its partner programmes; developers must stick with their chosen payment option for 12 months. Transactions made through third-party app stores or the web will instead incur a 5% Core Technology Commission, with web distribution restricted to the EU and subject to eligibility rules such as proof of financial standing. The changes follow Apple's fine last year over App Store "anti-steering" practices and its failed bid last month to have the App Store and iOS excluded from the Digital Markets Act; new child-safety measures are also included, restricting purchase links and payment options for under-18s.
- Apple's new EU App Store terms take effect 1 October 2026
- Single fee structure replaces old charges; new 5% off-store commission
- Follows DMA disputes, fines and added child-safety purchase restrictions
New here? Start with this
Apple and the European Union have been at odds over how the App Store operates in Europe, largely because of the EU's Digital Markets Act, a law designed to stop big tech firms from unfairly favouring their own products and services. This dispute has centred on the fees Apple charges developers and the restrictions it places on apps being sold or distributed outside its own App Store.
The key players are Apple, which controls the iPhone's operating system and app marketplace, and the European Commission, the EU body that enforces competition rules and has already fined Apple over its previous practices. Developers, the companies and individuals who build the apps sold to iPhone users, are also central to the story, since it is their costs and options that are directly affected by Apple's rules.
This matters because the outcome shapes how much developers pay to reach customers in the EU and how freely they can offer alternative payment methods or app stores, which can influence prices and choice for ordinary users. It is also being watched closely as a test of how far the EU's rules can force one of the world's largest technology companies to change its business practices.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Apple can reasonably argue that its App Store represents years of investment in a secure, trusted platform, and that commissions fund the tools, review processes and marketing reach developers rely on. Simplifying a patchwork of fees into one clearer structure, while lowering rates for smaller developers, can be seen as a genuine attempt to reduce complexity and comply with regulatory pressure without abandoning the business model that has made iOS attractive to users and developers alike. Supporters would also note that child-safety measures and eligibility checks on web distribution reflect legitimate concerns about fraud, security and protecting minors, not merely commercial self-interest. From this view, a company should be allowed to charge for the value of the ecosystem it built and maintains.
The case against
Critics, including many developers and the European Commission, can reasonably argue that even a simplified fee structure preserves Apple's ability to extract high margins and discourage genuine competition, since commissions of up to 26% and a 5% charge even on external transactions still tax developers for merely existing on the platform. They would point out that requiring developers to lock into a payment option for twelve months, and restricting web distribution with financial-standing eligibility rules, could function as new friction that undermines the Digital Markets Act's goal of open alternative distribution. On this view, following a prior anti-steering fine and a failed attempt to exempt iOS from the DMA, this looks less like genuine reform and more like the minimum change needed to stay technically compliant while preserving the substance of Apple's control.
More coverage
Art Business Companies Culture Europe Software Technology World