Apple this week revised its alternative contract terms for developers selling apps in the EU — a revision that was immediately dismissed by critics as more "harmful compliance."
Apple reacts to its new EU App Store rules
iBiz was one of six technology platforms named last year as "gatekeepers" due to their respective market dominance by the European Commission. The others were Alphabet, Amazon, ByteDance, Meta and Microsoft. Under Europe's competition law, the Digital Markets Act (DMA), gatekeepers face additional obligations to ensure they compete fairly. Apple's anti-steering rules — which prohibit developers from creating links in their apps that lead to external purchase options — are among the practices the DMA disallows.
In light of its antitrust battle with the US Department of Justice, Apple in January announced changes to business practices to comply with Europe's new competition law, which comes into force in 2023.
The iPhone maker's initial concessions met the DMA requirements, and in June the European Commission published preliminary conclusions that the rule changes were insufficient.
