Apple set to stave off daily fines, EU to accept App Store changes

Apple’s changes to its App Store rules and fees will likely secure the green light from EU antitrust regulators, people with direct knowledge of the matter said, a move that would stave off potentially hefty daily fines for the iPhone maker.

The company last month said developers will pay a 20 per cent processing fee for purchases made via the App Store, though the fees could go as low as 13 per cent for Apple’s small-business program.

Developers who send customers outside the App Store for payment will pay a fee between 5 per cent and 15 per cent. They will also be able to use as many links as they wish to send users to outside forms of payment.

Apple made the changes after the EU antitrust enforcer handed it a €500 million fine in April and gave it 60 days to comply with the Digital Markets Act aimed at reining in Big Tech and giving rivals more room to compete.

The European Commission is expected to approve the changes in the coming weeks, although the timing could still change, the people said.

“All options remain on the table. We are still assessing Apple’s proposed changes,” the EU watchdog said.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company earlier this month said it had implemented the changes to avoid punitive daily fines, while criticising the Commission for mandating how it runs its store.

The company could have been hit with daily fines of 5 per cent of its average daily worldwide revenue, or about 50 million euros per day. --Reuters