Apple will allow dating apps in the Netherlands to offer non-Apple payment options to users in compliance with a recent order issued by the country's Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM), the company said on January 14. But even if developers choose to forego Apple's in-app purchase system, they still have to pay the company a commission on transactions, Apple said. The company, however, did not specify if the same 15 to 30 percent would apply or a reduced rate. These changes might also not be permanent as Apple has already appealed the ACM’s decision to a higher court. "We’re concerned these changes could compromise the user experience, and create new threats to user privacy and data security," the company said. What prompted the Dutch regulator to issue this order? ACM launched an investigation into Apple in 2019 following multiple complaints including from Match Group, the company behind popular dating apps Tinder and Hinge. In a statement to Axios in 2020, a Match Group representative said: Apple is a partner, but also a dominant platform whose actions force the vast majority of consumers to pay more for third-party apps that Apple arbitrarily defines as “digital services.” Apple squeezes industries like e-books, music and video streaming, cloud storage, gaming and online dating for 30% of their revenue, which is all the more alarming when Apple then enters that space, as we’ve repeatedly seen. We’re acutely aware of their power over us. They claim we’re asking for a “free ride” when the reality is,…
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Apple to allow third-party payment options for dating apps in Netherlands, but there’s a catch
Apple was similarly forced to cede ground to developers in South Korea, signalling what is to come for the rest of the world.
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