Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Eliminates Separate Binary Requirement for Dutch Dating Apps Accepting Alternative Payments

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
68,545
39,400


Apple today announced that developers of dating apps on the App Store in the Netherlands that use an alternative payments system no longer need to create and use a separate binary. This change allows these developers to accept alternative payments in their existing dating apps, but only in the Netherlands and on devices running iOS or iPadOS.

iOS-App-Store-General-Feature-Sqaure-Complement.jpg

Apple also announced two other changes that apply to dating apps accepting alternative payments in the Netherlands:
- Payment Service Provider Criteria: Apple is providing updated and more-specific criteria to evaluate non-Apple payment service providers that developers of dating apps in the Netherlands may use.

- Consumer Disclosures: Apps that use either entitlement need to include an in-app modal sheet that explains to users that they're going to make purchases through an external payment system, and the potential impact that choice could have on the user. Apple is adjusting the language on the modal sheet and reducing the number of times the sheet must be displayed.
Click to expand...
In December 2021, the Netherlands' Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) announced that Apple must let dating apps offer payment methods other than Apple's in-app purchase system in the App Store in the Netherlands, or else it would face fines. Apple proceeded to allow Dutch dating apps to use special entitlements that allow for alternative payments, but required developers to submit a separate app binary to do so.

In response, the ACM said that Apple had failed to satisfy the conditions of its order. Apple has incurred a fine of €5 million per week ever since, with the fines now totalling €50 million, and the ACM said the fines could potentially go even higher.

As part of its announcement today, Apple reiterated that it disagrees with the order and is appealing it. In the meantime, Apple said it believes that the changes announced today demonstrate the company's ongoing commitment to fulfill its legal obligations in the Netherlands. It is now up to the ACM to decide whether Apple's changes bring it into compliance with the order, but the ACM has yet to publicly announce its decision.

Article Link: Apple Eliminates Separate Binary Requirement for Dutch Dating Apps Accepting Alternative Payments
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2022/03/30/apple-announces-dutch-dating-app-changes/
Last edited:
Amazing people applauding this as Globant just got announced as breached today. If this happened last year I bet a bunch of these would be using Globant built payment systems.

Sure install what you want give your info everywhere. The more you have out there the less chance of it being compromised! /s

Saving that imaginary 1.99 on that app (imaginary in that no company is going to lower prices they are just gonna pocket it) was really worth the emptied bank account.
 
  • Like
  • Haha
  • Disagree
Reactions: PhoenixDown, mhnd, xpxp2002 and 16 others
Apple also made changes to Reader Apps (which I do not believe these dating apps are considered to be).

forums.macrumors.com

'Reader' Apps Can Now Add Links for Account Signups Outside of the App Store

Apple today informed developers of "reader" apps that they are able to sign up for access to an "External Link Account Entitlement" that will allow the app to offer a link to a website so users can create or manage an account outside of the App Store. Reader apps are able to link to a website...
forums.macrumors.com forums.macrumors.com
 
DFZD said:
Finally the mighty Apple bows down. I hope it inspires more developers to get a fair deal.
Not the greedy mega corps but at least the good small medium dev shops.
Click to expand...
Having some greedy developers wanting everything free and have Apple do the heavy lifting. Like trying to convince users the subscription model to apps is a good idea…
 
  • Like
  • Disagree
Reactions: xpxp2002, gbdavid, lionel77 and 11 others
DFZD said:
Finally the mighty Apple bows down. I hope it inspires more developers to get a fair deal.
Not the greedy mega corps but at least the good small medium dev shops.
Click to expand...

Apple is still going to get their cut and it's still going to be a major cut (~25%). They just will collect it in bulk at a later date rather than at time of sale.

And I imagine most developers have low enough revenue volumes that they do not have their own native payment processing systems so they will continue to use Apple or now use a third-party payment processing service and when those fees and Apple's cut are added together, they will still be ~30% so they won't be saving anything.

The main benefit to Dutch developers is they don't have to maintain two apps in the Dutch App Store. But then, Apple doesn't have to maintain two apps, either, so they benefit, as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mhnd, Morichan and djphat2000
dominiongamma said:
Having some greedy developers wanting everything free and have Apple do the heavy lifting. Like trying to convince users the subscription model to apps is a good idea…
Click to expand...
What about developers that have been making apps for Mac OS for over a decade? Don't they deserve same treatment on iOS.
That is, ability to release apps outside of a sandbox app store.
 
  • Like
Reactions: freedomlinux, Agit21 and Wildkraut
CWallace said:
Apple is still going to get their cut and it's still going to be a major cut (~25%). They just will collect it in bulk at a later date rather than at time of sale.
Click to expand...
What makes you think that Apple see this as a win? For them it sets a really bad precedent. A path that could one day lead to the end of their super tight control over iOS.
 
  • Like
Reactions: glaze and _Spinn_
GMShadow said:
Why should greedy devs be allowed to sell stuff on the App Store for free?
Click to expand...
Who cares about the AppStore? DMA is against Apple in its anticompetitive role als a platform owner, gatekeeper and competitor.
If a developer wants to use Apples InApp payment service, he has to pay for it. If a developer wants to use an alternative option like PayPal, he has to pay the price PayPal charges him.

That’s the way it is in a free market. Apple can always compete with other services, but Apple just wants to keep other services away from its platform, so it doesn‘t need to compete. This will end.
 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: mhnd and Agit21
AndiG said:
Who cares about the AppStore? DMA is against Apple in its anticompetitive role als a platform owner, gatekeeper and competitor.
If a developer wants to use Apples InApp payment service, he has to pay for it. If a developer wants to use an alternative option like PayPal, he has to pay the price PayPal charges him.

That’s the way it is in a free market. Apple can always compete with other services, but Apple just wants to keep other services away from its platform, so it doesn‘t need to compete. This will end.
Click to expand...
Doesn’t Apple require you use their services for IAPs?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Okasian
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back