Apple Says UK App Store Steering Rules Would Be 'Highly Intrusive'

[MacRumors]

Apple said new UK App Store rules would give regulators a "highly intrusive" role dictating how it runs its business, reports Reuters. Apple submitted feedback to the UK's Competition and Markets Authority as it considers forcing Apple to change its App Store rules around steering.

The CMA wants Apple to let developers link to payment options outside of the App Store, which the CMA says will cut fees and boost competition. Developers in the UK are not currently able to direct customers outside of the App Store, even though that's allowed with the current U.S. App Store rules and the EU App Store rules.

UK regulators said Apple can charge developers a fee, but it must be fair and reasonable, and below existing App Store commissions, so developers can pass savings to customers or reinvest them in innovation.

According to Apple, the CMA's proposed rules would undermine innovation and investment, and would amount to price regulation because of the restriction on fees. Apple claims there is no evidence that allowing developers to direct users to purchase options outside the App Store would result in savings for customers. Apple said the App Store facilitated over £46.5 billion in UK billings and sales in 2025, and commissions accounted for less than 3.5 percent of the total.

The CMA denied that its proposal is price regulation. "Our consultation proposes principles to ensure that the fees Apple and Google charge for steering are fair and reasonable, not to directly set prices," a CMA spokesperson told Reuters.

The CMA is assessing feedback before making a final decision on the proposal. The changes are also applicable to Google, as both Apple and Google were designated with strategic market status (SMS) in the UK last year. Under the designation, the CMA can impose requirements meant to open up the platforms to greater competition.

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Article Link: Apple Says UK App Store Steering Rules Would Be 'Highly Intrusive'

 

[MrSnirf]

Highly intrusive? They want you to allow developers to sell directly to their customers without going through your payment processing system. There is nothing intrusive about that. What is intrusive is a corporation forcing developers to go through them to sell to customers.

I bought your phone now allow me to buy apps where i want and use whatever payment system i want.

 

[gaximus]

I’ve had apps that provide external payment methods. They are never cheaper, the user does not get the saving passed to them. Make this a regulation if your so bent on regulating everything. What ever the developer charge difference is, that needs to be the price difference outside of the AppStore.

 

[ThailandToo]

FU Apple and your anticompetitive business model. How about compete instead of lockout users, developers, and etc into the walled ecosystem of terror. Works great, you don’t know what freedom is until it’s gone.

 

[ThailandToo]

Highly intrusive? They want you to allow developers to sell directly to their customers without going through your payment processing system. There is nothing intrusive about that. What is intrusive is a corporation forcing developers to go through them to sell to customers.

I bought your phone now allow me to buy apps where i want and use whatever payment system i want.

Exactly. I shouldn’t have to be in the EU to install what I want to begin with. I overpaid for the whole ecosystem. Let me use it the way I want.

 

[sw1tcher]

Apple claims there is no evidence that allowing developers to direct users to purchase options outside the App Store would result in savings for customers.

How would Apple know this when "Developers in the UK are not currently able to direct customers outside of the App Store"?

 

[FatLouie]

If developers have not reduced their price outside of the Apple system, it is of no importance. Developers are free to charge what they feel their product is worth. The problem is that Apple wants too much of the pie and is restrictive in how developers do business.

 

[surferfb]

How would Apple know this when "Developers in the UK are not currently able to direct customers outside of the App Store"?

Because we’ve seen what happens in the EU (Spotify immediately raises prices)

 

[surferfb]

If developers have not reduced their price outside of the Apple system, it is of no importance. Developers are free to charge what they feel their product is worth. The problem is that Apple wants too much of the pie and is restrictive in how developers do business.

“Developers are free to charge what they feel their product is worth”

But not Apple. That’s “wanting too much of the pie.”

🙄

 

[erikkfi]

Intrusive measures are appropriate for anticompetitive companies.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

I’ve had apps that provide external payment methods. They are never cheaper, the user does not get the saving passed to them. Make this a regulation if your so bent on regulating everything. What ever the developer charge difference is, that needs to be the price difference outside of the AppStore.

Youtube Premium in the UK - £12.99 per month for individuals and £19.99 for the family plan. If you sign up via the iOS app £16.99 individual and £25.99 families.

Audible Premium Plus £8.99 per month if you sign up on audible.co.uk £9.99 if you sign up in the iOS app.

 

[milkrocket]

“Developers are free to charge what they feel their product is worth”

But not Apple. That’s “wanting too much of the pie.”

🙄

They can. They just have to allow competing App Stores

 

[arlomedia]

I’ve had apps that provide external payment methods. They are never cheaper, the user does not get the saving passed to them.

I develop a cross-platform product and started with subscription payments exclusively through the product website. Eventually Apple's restrictions made it too much of a hassle to not offer in-app purchases, so I added that option. I left the website prices the same and added 15% to the in-app prices. A note at the bottom of the pricing page in the app says that prices are lower on the website due to app store processing fees, but there is no link to the website. It's been a few years and Apple hasn't bothered me about that.

 

[surferfb]

They can. They just have to allow competing App Stores

It’s Apple’s platform, so it should be Apple’s decision how it operates.

There’s plenty of competition if developers or consumers think the price is too high.

 

[matthew12]

This should be allowed. Apps like YouTube, for example, charge customers more when buying a subscription through the App Store than if it's direct. Apple also shouldn't get any cut of steering revenue. The devs already pay a minimum of $100 a year (or much more if you're Google) to have access to the Developer tools and support, so there's your fee, Apple.

 

[HaHaRich!]

How would Apple know this when "Developers in the UK are not currently able to direct customers outside of the App Store"?

So you admit it, there’s literally no evidence 🤣

 

[TracesOfArsenic]

They can. They just have to allow competing App Stores

That's the thing. Apple don't thrive when there's competition and they know it. They stifle it as much as possible whether it be bullying, sherlocking, buyouts, etc. They're not unique or special in that regard, just classic greedy, big corporation behaviour but for some reason Apple fanbois can't see them as just another corporation.

 

[sw1tcher]

So you admit it, there’s literally no evidence 🤣

Evidence here:

Youtube Premium in the UK - £12.99 per month for individuals and £19.99 for the family plan. If you sign up via the iOS app £16.99 individual and £25.99 families.

Audible Premium Plus £8.99 per month if you sign up on audible.co.uk £9.99 if you sign up in the iOS app.

and here:

Twitter to Charge $11 Per Month for Twitter Blue on iPhone, $7 on Website

Twitter plans to charge $11 per month for a Twitter Blue subscription on the iPhone in order to account for the 30 percent cut that Apple takes from in-app purchases, reports The Information. On the web, Twitter Blue will be priced at $7 per month. Prior to when Twitter Blue was paused, Twitter...

www.macrumors.com

and here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/litrpg/comments/1p26y63/fyi_app_store_subscriptions_are_more_expensive

and here:

YouTube Premium on iPhone vs Web: Are You Paying $5 More?

YouTube Premium can cost more through iPhone billing than on the web. Compare the current prices, what changes, and when switching billing is worth it.

isitstillworthit.com

 

[BaldiMac]

That's the thing. Apple don't thrive when there's competition and they know it. They stifle it as much as possible whether it be bullying, sherlocking, buyouts, etc. They're not unique or special in that regard, just classic greedy, big corporation behaviour but for some reason Apple fanbois can't see them as just another corporation.

Cynicism and name calling isn't a real argument. Neither is painting everything with a broad brush. The world needs more nuance instead of stereotypes and black or white fallacies.

Is Apple greedy? Of course. Is greed just a loaded term to describe any profit seeking activity? That's also true.

 

[MrSnirf]

Evidence here:



and here:

Twitter to Charge $11 Per Month for Twitter Blue on iPhone, $7 on Website

Twitter plans to charge $11 per month for a Twitter Blue subscription on the iPhone in order to account for the 30 percent cut that Apple takes from in-app purchases, reports The Information. On the web, Twitter Blue will be priced at $7 per month. Prior to when Twitter Blue was paused, Twitter...

www.macrumors.com

and here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/litrpg/comments/1p26y63/fyi_app_store_subscriptions_are_more_expensive

and here:

YouTube Premium on iPhone vs Web: Are You Paying $5 More?

YouTube Premium can cost more through iPhone billing than on the web. Compare the current prices, what changes, and when switching billing is worth it.

isitstillworthit.com

Its like people don't understand that developers will always pass Apple's fees to customers. Apple is charging customers for the pleasure of using apps.

 

[BaldiMac]

Its like people don't understand that developers will always pass Apple's fees to customers. Apple is charging customers for the pleasure of using apps.

Only if they're bad a math. Developers goal in pricing should be to maximize revenue. At some point price increases lead to lower sales and decreased revenue. That point depends on the value of the app and fixed/variable costs.

I think someone referenced a study earlier on Android where 90% of apps maintained the same pricing even with lower fees.

 

[surferfb]

Its like people don't understand that developers will always pass Apple's fees to customers. Apple is charging customers for the pleasure of using apps.

No, Apple is charging developers for access to a large customer base with pre-loaded credit card data, payment processing, billing, features that benefit customers developers would otherwise not support, and use of Apple’s intellectual property.

Most developers are choosing to pass those fees along to their customers, which is totally their right to do. But let’s not pretend it’s Apple passing that fee onto customers. It’s the greedy developers who want access to Apple’s hard work without paying for it.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

It’s Apple’s platform, so it should be Apple’s decision how it operates.

There’s plenty of competition if developers or consumers think the price is too high.

There are plenty of other markets Apple could sell in if they believe the regulatory environment is too onerous.

 

[surferfb]

There are plenty of other markets Apple could sell in if they believe the regulatory environment is too onerous.

I’m sure they’ll continue; if the government is going to interfere in the free market to force a worse user experience on Apple’s customers then the government’s going to interfere in the free market to force a worse user experience on Apple’s customers.

That doesn’t mean the government is right, as we all know governments do stupid things all the time. The UK government in particular.

Government targets UK Apple users in new demand for data

It is the latest development in a privacy row which has pitted the UK against the tech giant and the Trump administration.

www.bbc.com

 

[MrSnirf]

Only if they're bad a math. Developers goal in pricing should be to maximize revenue. At some point price increases lead to lower sales and decreased revenue. That point depends on the value of the app and fixed/variable costs.

I think someone referenced a study earlier on Android where 90% of apps maintained the same pricing even with lower fees.

Cute stat, wrong platform. That "90%" figure isn't Android, it was Apple's own EU App Store data, from a study Apple commissioned and funded, released specifically to argue against DMA regulation, the same regulation this thread is about. You're citing Apple's paid "research". Lol

Meanwhile the actual pass-through maths are sitting in this thread. YouTube, Audible, Twitter Blue and Patreon. The formula is right there on their website. Mark iOS prices up ~43% to cancel out Apple's 30% cut and net the same as web. That's simple arithmetic, Apple's own commission rate forces onto every creator using their platform to maximize revenue, developers are forced to pass Apple's fees to customers in order to maximize revenue.

Every App you buy and every subscription you buy on iOS, Apple forces an additional 30% on top. It is simple math for anyone who understands math.