Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney is not happy with the changes Apple is making to the App Store for the European Union (EU). He calls the changes Apple is putting into place an “anticompetitive scheme rife with junk fees.”
Sweeney shared his thoughts with AppleInsider and also made a series of posts on X, venting about Apple’s changes in the App Store, which are required by the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA).
Sweeney told AppleInsider:
“Apple’s plan to thwart Europe’s new Digital Markets Act law is a devious new instance of Malicious Compliance.They are forcing developers to choose between App Store exclusivity and the store terms, which will be illegal under DMA, or accept a new also-illegal anticompetitive scheme rife with new Junk Fees on downloads and new Apple taxes on payments they don’t process.
Apple proposes that it can choose which stores are allowed to compete with their App Store. They could block Epic from launching the Epic Games Store and distributing Fortnite through it, for example, or block Microsoft, Valve, Good Old Games, or new entrants.
[…]
There’s a lot more hot garbage in Apple’s announcement. It will take more time to parse both the written and unwritten parts of this new horror show, so stay tuned.”
The Coalition for App Fairness (founded and financed by Epic) expressed similar sentiments. Executive Director of the Coalition for App Fairness Rick VanMeter also issued a statement.
“Apple clearly has no intention to comply with the DMA. Apple is introducing new fees on direct downloads and payments they do nothing to process, which violates the law. This plan does not achieve the DMA’s goal to increase competition and fairness in the digital market – it is not fair, reasonable, nor non-discriminatory.
[…]
This is yet another attempt to circumvent regulation, the likes of which we’ve seen in the United States, the Netherlands and South Korea. Apple’s ‘plan’ is a shameless insult to the European Commission and the millions of European consumers they represent – it must not stand and should be rejected by the Commission.”
While VanMeter claims Apple “clearly has no intention to comply with the DMA,” Apple likely would not be making the changes it is to the EU App Store without submitting its plans to the European Commission, which is a requirement of the DMA.
Apple is not required by the DMA to charge zero amount fees, only that the fees be fair and reasonable. Third-party app stores will pay for only the first installation of an app requires a 0.50 Euro charge. Reinstallations by the same user will not be billed again.
Apple will receive a cut of the action if payments are processed through Apple’s payments system. Outside app stores will not pay a fee if they use their own payment processing systems. Developers in outside app marketplaces will also be responsible for refunds, not Apple.