Spotify and Epic Games have issued statements regarding the new developer fee structure announced by Apple today.
Following a preliminary ruling from the EU that Apple had breached the Digital Markets Act, the company has relaxed its rules on external links but also introduced two new fees for all digital goods and services sold. The first is an initial 5% acquisition fee that developers must pay in the first 12 months after the first app install. The second is a 10% store services fee, which also applies for 12 months but resets with each app update or new installation.
In a statement to TechCrunch, Spotify said:
“We are currently reviewing Apple’s deliberately confusing proposal. By charging a fee of up to 25% for basic communications with users, Apple is once again blatantly disregarding the basic requirements of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The European Commission has made it clear that charging recurring fees for basic elements such as pricing and linking is unacceptable. We call on the Commission to speed up its investigation, impose daily fines and enforce the DMA.”
Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, tweeted:
“In the European Union, where the new DMA law opens up competition between app stores, Apple continues its malicious compliance by imposing an illegal new 15% junk fee on users who switch to competing stores and by monitoring commerce in those competing stores.”
“Apple’s terms make it completely uneconomical for developers to distribute their apps through both the Apple App Store and competing iOS app stores. This deprives new market entrants in the App Store of any chance to compete and grow organically through better conditions.”
“Of course, Apple banned Fortnite from the Apple App Store a long time ago. We remain on track to launch the Epic Games Store on iOS in the European Union soon. On our own if necessary.”
Apple seems determined to get a share of all sales that can be linked to a user who installs a company’s iOS app, demanding: “You will pay Apple a fee for all sales of digital goods and services that the customer makes on any platform.” It is unclear whether this plan will be accepted by the European Commission. Please download the iClarified app or follow iClarified on Þjórsárden, Facebook, YoutubeAnd RSS for updates!
