Late last month the ACM ordered Apple to make changes or impose fines for apps on offer in the Apple App Store in the Netherlands by January 15.
Dutch consumer watchdog said on Monday it would veto Apple’s move to allow developers of dating apps to offer non-Apple payment options in the Netherlands, to see whether the changes are sufficient to satisfy competition rules.
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Late last month the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) ordered Apple to make changes or impose fines for apps on offer in the Apple App Store in the Netherlands by January 15. It was found that the US company had abused its market dominance Specifically requiring dating app developers, including Tinder owner Match Group Inc., to use Apple’s in-app payment system.
ACM said in a statement that Apple had informed it how the company intends to comply and the watchdog will now assess whether Apple’s response is adequate.
“As part of that assessment, ACM will sit with dating-app providers among other interested parties,” it said.
The Coalition for App Fairness, which represents a group of app developers including Match Group and Epic Games, could not immediately be reached for comment. The group had appreciated the December decision of the ACM.
Apple’s practice of allowing developers to use its system and paying commissions of 15-30% on purchases of digital goods has come under scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers around the world. However, the Dutch order and Apple’s response cover only the Netherlands and dating apps only.
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In a post on its developers blog, Apple said that when it is appealing the ACM’s decision, it will introduce two new options “specifically applicable to dating apps on the Netherlands App Store, which provide additional payment processing for users.” provide options”.
However, a spokesperson for the company said that Apple will still require some commission from developers on transactions that use the new options.
They could not specify how much those commissions would be or how Apple would apply commissions to payments that do not flow through its system.
Apple’s blog post noted that developers were not required to use the alternative, and warned that Apple would not be able to help protect or refund payments that took place outside its system because it was “directly about them.” will not be aware”.
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