Apple Must Allow Dating Apps To Offer Alternative Payment Methods In The App Store

The Apple App Store payment system was also disrupted in the Netherlands, with the Authority for Consumers and Markets, or ACM, the country’s largest competition regulator, ratifying the rules. violated Dutch competition law by not allowing dating programs to offer users alternative payment methods.

Mu a a decision published on Christmas Eve, ACM said the conditions that apply to dating software providers — which are common to all software developers — are irrational. It ordered Apple to revise its terms and allow affiliate program providers to offer users alternative payment options – internally and outside of the app. If Apple does not follow the lead of the regulators within two months, it could face a $ 56.5 million fine.

ACM initially began looking at Apple’s payment plan within the program in 2019, according to Reuters, for complaining that it was abusing its dominant role in the marketplace. The company wants developers to use the payment system within the program — to prevent them from connecting or directing users to other payment methods—and cuts between 15% and 30% on any purchase. However, in the study, the amount was reduced to focus on dating programs.

One of the biggest players in the dating apps group, Match Group, which has several popular dating apps including Tinder, Big Fish, and Hinge, lodged a complaint with ACM over Apple’s App Store rules, Reuters added. Match Group claims that Apple’s policies restrict its direct contact with its customers when it comes to payment.

Announcing the ACM election, Martijn Snoep, chairman of the board of the regulator, said protecting individuals and businesses from the misuse of market power in the digital economy was one of the most important tasks of regulators.

“Some developers rely on Apple’s App Store, and Apple takes advantage of that reliance. Apple has unique responsibilities because of its huge role,” Snoep said in a statement. words. “That’s why Apple also needs to take care of the needs of our software providers, and set the requirements. This is what we are trying to force Apple to do with this system.”

Various countries, including the US, have been monitoring the Apple App Store payment system late. In September, a new one South Korean law started working that prevented Apple and Google from requiring developers to use their own payment methods within the app.

The same month, Apple announced agreement is a Japanese competitor to the “reading programs,” or programs that register subscriptions, including magazines, newspapers, books, music, and videos. Under the agreement, Apple allows developers to include a single external link in another payment method, such as their leaves.

Meanwhile, in the US, Apple is defending its App Store payment features in … Epic v. Apple case. The judge in the case, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, ruled against Apple and said it would allow developers to use “buttons or external links” to point users to other payment methods outside of the App Store. Apple appealed the decision and did so gave a delay to follow, meaning that it should not give manufacturers the opportunity to offer alternative payment methods yet.

An Apple spokesman told Gizmodo Sunday that the App Store is a “safe and secure place for users” that offers great business opportunities to all developers. The spokesman dismissed ACM’s claim that Apple has a major role to play in the Netherlands. and said the company appealed decision of the moderator.

“We do not agree with the ACM Act and we have made an appeal,” a company spokesman said in an email.. “Apple does not have a significant role to play in the distribution market in the Netherlands, has invested heavily in helping app developers to reach customers and perform well in the App Store, and has the right under EU and Dutch law to fund these developers. all of which are technologies that Apple offers. “

Gizmodo contacted Match Group on Sunday to ask for comment on the ACM decision but did not receive a response by the time it was published. We will make sure to change this story if we hear it.