Apple is updating its EU trading terms to allow developers to link to third-party payment systems or promote offerings from other platforms that don't use iOS's built-in payment system.
But these options will only be available to developers who agree to the updated terms, and Apple will still take a cut of each purchase.
In a post on its developer support website, Apple explains that it will charge a 5% “initial acquisition fee” on any digital products or services purchased during the first year after an initial installation. This is for new users only and will not apply to customers already using the app before the new linking options go into effect.
Apple will also charge a 10% store services fee on all such purchases for the first twelve months, a charge it says “reflects the current services and capabilities Apple offers to developers.”
These fees are in addition to the already announced base technology fee, which charges developers €0.50 for each first install per year for the first million installs.
PocketGamer.biz noted that developers on existing Apple hardware will be charged a 20% fee on sales made through external links, though this drops to 7% for small businesses.
The changes were made in hopes of better complying with the Digital Markets Act, which came into effect earlier this year.
The European Commission began investigating Apple in March to determine whether its new trading conditions violated the DMA. Its preliminary findings, published in June, conclude that Apple is in breach of the new regulations.