The proposed changes come at a time when Apple and Google are facing criticism for their app store policies from developers, regulatory bodies, and lawmakers in various countries. Apple on August 27 proposed a number of changes to its App Store policy and agreed to pay $100 million in a bid to settle a 2019 class-action lawsuit filed by US app developers. The lawsuit argued that Apple abuses its monopoly power by charging high commissions, setting pricing mandates, and preventing developers from distributing apps outside the official App Store. The changes come at a time when both Apple and Google app stores are facing increased regulatory scrutiny from countries around the world, including India. The US and South Korea are currently considering legislation to curb the dominance of these two platforms and Apple also awaits a verdict in the much-publicised lawsuit brought by Epic Games. What's the biggest change to App Store announced by Apple? Developers can let users know about payment methods available outside the in-app billing system: "To give developers even more flexibility to reach their customers, Apple is also clarifying that developers can use communications, such as email, to share information about payment methods outside of their iOS app. As always, developers will not pay Apple a commission on any purchases taking place outside of their app or the App Store. Users must consent to the communication and have the right to opt out." - Apple What's Apple's current policy? Apple's current App Store guidelines state that apps cannot "encourage users to use…
