Apple Must Let Dating Apps Offer Alternative Payment Methods in App Store, Dutch Regulator Says

The Dutch competition regulator said today that Apple must allow dating apps to accept payment methods other than Apple's in-app purchase system in the Netherlands or face fines.

If Apple doesn't comply with the order within two months, it will be fined up to 50 million euros. The deadline comes a few months after the App Store's in-app commission structure was ruled to be unreasonable.

"Some app providers are dependent on Apple's App Store, and Apple takes advantage of that dependency," said the chairman of the academy. Apple has special responsibilities because of its position. Apple needs to take the interests of app providers seriously and set reasonable conditions.

The investigation of Apple began as a look into whether Apple's App Store practices were an abuse of dominant market position, but was later scaled back to focus on dating apps.

MacRumors reached out to Apple for comment on the decision, as the PDF summary of the decision was shared by the ACM.

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