Apple has updated its App Store rules to allow developers to directly contact users about payment matters, which is a concession in a legal settlement with companies challenging its tightly controlled market.
According to the App Store rules updated on Friday, developers can now directly contact consumers to learn about alternative payment methods, bypassing Apple’s 15% or 30% commission.
The iPhone manufacturer said that they will be able to ask users for basic information, such as name and email address, “as long as this request is still optional.”
Apple proposed these changes in a legal settlement with small app developers in August.
But this concession is unlikely to satisfy companies such as Fortnite developer Epic Games, which has been engaged in a protracted dispute over its payment policy.
Epic initiated a case aimed at breaking Apple’s control of the App Store, accusing the iPhone manufacturer of monopolizing its digital goods or service stores.
In September, a judge ordered Apple to loosen control of its App Store payment options, but said that Epic had failed to prove that it violated antitrust laws.
For Epic and other companies, the ability to redirect users to out-of-app payment methods is not enough: it wants players to be able to pay directly without leaving the game. Both parties have appealed.
News Source: Gadgets360
