Apple Can Put App Store Changes On Hold Ahead Of Supreme Court Petition – SlashGear

But it’s not just the U.S. where Apple is facing heat from regulatory authorities over its tight App Store payment rules. After a 2021 amendment to the Telecommunications Business Act in South Korea, Apple was forced to let developers offer alternative payment methods in their apps. In December 2021, the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) ruled that dating apps can offer an alternative method of payment to users. 

But the biggest challenge to Apple’s business is brewing up in Europe. Provisions of the landmark Digital Markets Act (DMA) might force Apple to not only allow third-party payment systems but also enable side-loading. In February 2023, the European Commission made it clear that the anti-steering obligations are “neither necessary, nor proportionate,” further classifying them as detrimental for users and developers. However, that objection isn’t as consequential as the EU’s disdain for Apple not allowing users to download apps from other repositories except the App Store.

In April, Bloomberg reported that Apple could finally allow “sideloading” for the first time following the release of iOS 17 later this year. While Apple has repeatedly argued that sideloading will “undermine the privacy and security protections,” what’s also at stake here is the revenue Apple generates from its App Store payment rules. Apps downloaded from third-party stores or online sources don’t have to comply with the mandatory in-app payment rule, which means developers can easily offer external payment outlets for in-app payments while avoiding the 30% Apple tax.