Britain’s antitrust regulator has proposed forcing Apple to allow developers to link to third-party payment options to purchase apps and subscriptions outside of the App Store.
The proposal would specifically ban Apple from using the same forms of “malicious compliance” it has tried in both the US and EU …
The story so far in the EU and US
The EU required Apple to permit third-party app stores, while a US court ruled that developers have the right to direct iPhone users to third-party payment platforms for app purchases and subscriptions. Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is now proposing to apply this latter rule in the UK.
However, Apple has so far sought to circumvent these requirements with tactics described as “malicious compliance.” In the EU, Apple used “irritating and scary” screens intended to deter iPhone owners from using competing app stores. In the US, the company insisted it had the right to charge commissions even on purchases made outside the App Store. The net impact of these commissions would negate any benefit for developers.
