Apple updates fees and link options in EU following DMA breach investigation

Apple is updating its business terms in the EU to allow developers to link to external payment systems or promote offers from other platforms that do not use the built-in iOS payment system.

But these options will only be available to developers who agree to the updated terms, and Apple will still be taking a cut of each purchase.

In a post on its developer support website, Apple explains that it will claim a 5% 'initial acquisition fee' on any digital goods and services purchased during the first year after an initial install. This is for new users only and will not apply to customers already using the app before the new link out options come into play.

Apple will also claim a 10% store services fee on all such purchases over the first twelve months, a charge it says "reflects the ongoing services and capabilities that Apple provides developers."

These fees are on top of the already announced Core Technology Fee, which charges developers €0.50 for each first install per year for the first one million installs.

PocketGamer.biz noted that developers on Apple's existing teams will be charged a 20% fee on sales made through external links, although this is reduced to 7% for small businesses.

The changes have been made in the hopes of better complying with the Digital Markets Act, which came into force earlier this year.

The European Commission began investigating Apple in March to identify whether its new business terms violated the DMA. Its preliminary findings, released in June, find that Apple is in breach of the new regulations.