Apple Updates EU App Store Policy After €500 Million EU Fine

Apple has revised its App Store policies in the European Union to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and avoid further penalties, including a €500 million fine imposed earlier this year. The new structure introduces a tiered commission system where developers can opt for a lower 5% fee for basic App Store functions or a higher 13% fee for full access to features, alongside a 5% "core technology commission" on digital purchases made outside the App Store. These changes also allow developers greater freedom to promote and link to external payment options, replacing previous restrictions such as the single static link limit, although Apple continues to enforce fees on redirected purchases, a practice still scrutinized by EU regulators. Apple plans to unify its fee models by January 2026, transitioning alternative fee schemes into a single business model. Despite these adjustments, some developers and competitors argue that the fee system remains complex and restrictive, while EU authorities continue to monitor Apple's compliance with the DMA. These policy shifts reflect broader regulatory efforts to dismantle Apple's dominance over in-app payments and create fairer competition within the EU digital marketplace.