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We had the first wave of changes and tweaks to Apple, Google and other big tech companies\u2019 policies and services just before the EU\u2019s sweeping Digital Markets Act (DMA) took a harder line against monopolistic behaviors and practices. See: third-party app stores with Apple, the option to pay for Facebook (haha!), the ability to choose your own default browser, search engine, and more.<\/p>\n
But the EU isn’t quite satisfied<\/a>. Alphabet and Apple, says the European Commission, have not sufficiently allowed \u201capp developers to \u2018steer\u2019 consumers to offers outside the gatekeepers\u2019 app stores, free of charge.\u201d<\/p>\n The EC says Alphabet might still be leading users to Google-owned services like Google Flights. Apple may not be allowing users meaningful choice in selecting alternatives to default iOS services or preferences, such as the ability to uninstall any preloaded app.<\/p>\n In January, Apple announced changes to the App Store to comply with the DMA, including the ability to use alternative app marketplaces on iOS in the EU. Included in Apple\u2019s updates was a new \u201ccore technology fee\u201d of \u20ac0.50 developers will have to pay per user<\/em> per year after the first million installs of an app \u2014 even if a user downloads the software from a third-party marketplace. Many of Apple\u2019s rivals aren\u2019t happy<\/a> about the App Store changes. Some criticized the company\u2019s fees for third-party payments in the US too.<\/p>\n \u2014 Mat Smith<\/p>\n