EU designates App Store and iOS as ‘gatekeepers’ according to Digital Markets Act

EU Digital Markets Act discloses gatekeepers. Those include iOS and App Store.

As of now Apple tries to limit effect of DMA to iMessage claiming that it has small marketshare to be governed by this law.

References:

Apple updates Developer Program License Agreement to accommodate Digital Services Act requirements

Apple updates Apple Developer Program License Agreement. Changes include:

  • Definitions, Section 3.3.39: Specified requirements for use of the Journaling Suggestions API.
  • Schedule 1 Exhibit D Section 3 and Schedules 2 and 3 Exhibit E Section 3: Added language about the Digital Services Act (DSA) redress options available to developers based in the European Union.
  • Schedule 1 Section 6.3 and Schedules 2 and 3 Section 7.3: Added clarifying language that the content moderation process is subject to human and systematic review and action pursuant to notices of illegal and harmful content.

Changes include references to Digital Services Act for developers residing in European Union.

Apple Developer: Updated Apple Developer Program License Agreement now available

Apple Developer Support: Agreements and Guidelines for Apple Developers

Reference: Digital Services Act comes into force today – hard to tell whether Apple is complying

Setapp hopes to establish alternate App Store in EU

Setapp is approaching developers to participate in alternate App Store which it expects it will be able to run following Digital Millennium Act (DMA) approval in EU.

While it is still not clear, if Apple will have to follow DMA rules on opening platform for alternate App Stores, companies are now trying to get developers onboard.

Setapp promises 90% revenue share with developers. Apple pays 85% to developers eligible for App Store Small Business program (developer should make less than $1 million on App Store sales) while also providing access to all world markets.

Setapp: Grow your app with Setapp

Reference: Setapp readies alt app store for iPhone, entices devs with up to 90% revenue share

Apple shares usage statistics for EU App Store

In accordance with European Digital Services Act Apple now has to disclose active users for its services in Europe.

  • iOS App Store: 101 million
  • iPadOS App Store: 23 million
  • macOS App Store: 6 million
  • tvOS App Store: 1 million
  • watchOS App Store: under 1 million
  • Apple Books: under 1 million
  • Podcasts paid subscriptions: under 1 million

Statistics show importance of iOS and iPadOS in its ecosystem, while watchOS seem to be lagging behind.

Reference: After years of silence, Apple finally reveals how many App Store users it has in Europe