Apple’s moves to appease Dutch App Store watchdog declared ’insufficient’
- maj
- 02
What you need to know
- A Dutch watchdog has said that Apple's App Store changes are insufficient and a new penalty is being drawn up.
- Apple has been told to allow dating apps to link to external payments and account management options.
The Dutch still aren't happy about Apple's App Store and intend to try a different tact.
Apple has been told that its moves to try to appease a Dutch watchdog over its App Store business model have proven "insufficient" and that it should expect another penalty. It's hoped that the new penalty will have the "desired result."
Apple had previously been told to allow developers of dating apps available via the Dutch App Store to provide links to handle payments and account management via the open internet — not just the App Store. Apple found itself on the end of a weekly 5 million euro fine that was designed to run until it made the changes required to allow just that. However, the Dutch now believe that simply isn't happening and that all changes made to this date have been "insufficient" — leading them to put a new penalty together.
Journalist Nando Kasteleijn reported on the news via Twitter.
Via machine translation:
The Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) concludes that the changes Apple made on March 30 has made to the conditions for dating apps in the Netherlands are insufficient. Apple still uses unreasonable conditions for dating app providers in the Netherlands. That appears from own research, expert advice and consultation with market parties.
The ACM does see an improvement in the proposals that Apple makes, but they are not yet sufficient to comply with European and Dutch regulations. In the meantime, ACM will remain concerned about this conversation with Apple.
Because the previous order subject to a penalty did not have the desired result, ACM is preparing and new order subject to penalty.
About the details that Apple does not yet comply with and the content of the new cease and desist order we cannot make announcements until we publish them. That could take several weeks.
Update in Apple-zaak van de ACM:
— Nando Kasteleijn (@nandokasteleijn) May 2, 2022
Toezichthouder bereidt nieuwe last onder dwangsom voor. ACM ziet wel “verbetering in de voorstellen”, maar die zijn nog “onvoldoende”.
Details en bedrag nieuwe dwangsom volgen laten. pic.twitter.com/dncKOj51H6
As for the original penalty, Apple has at least made attempts to comply with the requirements laid out — albeit not to the satisfaction of the ACM.
It's too early to know what will come next, as the ACM statement says. We'll need to wait for the new penalty to be written up which could "take several weeks," according to that statement.