The image is by Alex Castro.
The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has ruled that Apple must allow dating app developers to offer non-Apple payment systems for in-app purchases or face a hefty fine. The company's App Store practices have been under investigation by the regulators, but they decided to focus on dating apps after receiving a complaint from Match Group, owners of dating services like OkCupid.
This decision does not apply to other app categories, like games or productivity apps.
The chairman of the board of ACM wrote that some app providers are dependent on Apple's App Store. Apple has special responsibilities because of its position. Apple needs to take the interests of app providers seriously and set reasonable conditions.
dating app developers should be allowed to point users to other payment options outside of the app, as well as allowing them to offer alternate payment systems, according to the Dutch Regulator. If the company fails to do so by January 15th, it will face a fine of up to 50 million Euros.
Apple takes advantage of its position.
The in-app purchase system allows Apple to take a cut of up to 30 percent on purchases made within an app.
Apple disagrees with the order issued by the ACM and has filed an appeal, according to a statement from the company. She said that Apple does not have a dominant position in the market for software distribution in the Netherlands, has invested tremendous resources helping developers of dating apps reach customers and thrive on the App Store, and has the right under EU and Dutch law to charge developers of these apps a fee.
Governments around the world are scrutinizing Apple's App Store rules. In September, the company announced an agreement with a Japanese regulator to let "reader apps," like Netflix and Kindle, point users toward external sign-up pages where customers can provide credit card info, circumventing Apple's system. South Korea passed a law in August that looks to allow developers to use payment systems other than the ones provided by platform owners, and is currently deciding what Apple and Google will have to do to comply.
The US was planning on making Apple open to third-party payment systems as a result of its legal battle with Epic Games, but an appeals court stayed that decision just before it was set to take effect, which could take months to resolve.
