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Dutch Regulator Still Unsatisfied With Apple's Rules Surrounding Dating Apps

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The competition regulator in the Netherlands today announced that Apple's rules surrounding Dutch dating apps remain insufficient.

iOS-App-Store-General-Feature-JoeBlue.jpg

In a statement obtained by journalist Nando Kasteleijn, the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) said that while Apple eliminating its requirement for Dutch dating apps to create a separate app binary in order to accept alternative payments was an improvement, the company has yet to fully comply with Dutch and European regulations. The statement did not outline the specific conditions that Apple has yet to comply with.

The ACM already fined Apple a total of €50 million between January and March for failing to comply with the order, and the competition regulator said it is now preparing a new order with additional penalties that will be published in the coming weeks.

The saga began in December 2021, when the ACM announced that Apple must let dating apps accept alternative payment methods on the App Store in the Netherlands. Apple complied with the demand, but it initially required Dutch dating apps to submit a separate app binary to accept alternative payments. Apple has since made several changes to its rules surrounding Dutch dating apps, but the ACM remains unsatisfied.

Apple previously said that while it disagrees with the order and is appealing the decision, the changes it announced on March 30 demonstrated the company's ongoing commitment to fulfill its legal obligations in the Netherlands.

Article Link: Dutch Regulator Still Unsatisfied With Apple's Rules Surrounding Dating Apps
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2022/05/02/dutch-regulator-still-unsatifised-over-dating-apps/
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The Netherland has a population of 17 million, even if every single one of them were iPhone users, Apple could easily afford to lose them and it would only be less than 1.5% of its iPhone total user. Apple's lawyer has on multiple occasion threaten to pull out of the UK or other EU countries. This is the time to show them the power.

Trust the Wisdom on Macumors. Pull out of the Netherland.
 
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ksec said:
The Netherland has a population of 17 million, even if every single one of them were iPhone users, Apple could easily afford to lose them and it would only be less than 1.5% of its iPhone total user. Apple's lawyer has on multiple occasion threaten to pull out of the UK or other EU countries. This is the time to show them the power.

Trust the Wisdom on Macumors. Pull out of the Netherland.
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And for the next country that requests a similar measure 2 months from now? At what point do they consider making changes? 5%? 10%? 30%?
 
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gnipgnop said:
The link to the ACM statement goes to a Twitter post that's entirely in Dutch.
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The twitter post also doesn't include any information on the exact issues the ACM has with the changes Apple made.

I think it is strange this only applies to dating apps, and only in The Netherlands. If Apple were to just pay the fine they most likely would still make a profit.
 
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jclardy said:
And for the next country that requests a similar measure 2 months from now? At what point do they consider making changes? 5%? 10%? 30%?
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I dont know. But judging from previous MacRumors comments, the answer seems to be pull out of those countries as well.
 
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JohnyTango said:
The twitter post also doesn't include any information on the exact issues the ACM has with the changes Apple made.

I think it is strange this only applies to dating apps, and only in The Netherlands. If Apple were to just pay the fine they most likely would still make a profit.
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They don't want to say it, but I'd guess it's regarding access of accounting data on dating app companies and charging 27% as commission from apps that use a third party payment provider.

Most Probably so this doesn't end up in a higher court where logic might prevail. Apple did what they wanted, to the letter, but not the "spirit" of what the regulators wanted e.g. substantially lower charges to app providers.
 
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deevey said:
They don't want to say it, but I'd guess it's regarding access of accounting data on dating app companies and charging 27% as commission from apps that use a third party payment provider.

Most Probably so this doesn't end up in a higher court where logic might prevail. Apple did what they wanted, to the letter, but not the "spirit" of what the regulators wanted e.g. substantially lower charges to app providers.
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Exactly. They want to essentially cap what a company can charge for its product (in this case, their dev tools and infrastructure), which doesn't work in a capitalist world. If they come right out and say it, however, the blowback would be immense.
 
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jclardy said:
And for the next country that requests a similar measure 2 months from now? At what point do they consider making changes? 5%? 10%? 30%?
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That’s a possibility.

It’s also a possibility that, like some companies that tell nuisance suit filers to pound sand, realizing Apple won’t roll over will slow these types of things.

Most likely, Apple eventually will fold and the EU, etc. will define how Apple does business, no matter how many buyers would’ve chosen to keep buying from Apple as it was.
 
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MysticCow said:
Because even the regulators don't know. I feel like the goal posts are continuously being moved. If I were Apple, I would not proceed without 100% knowing what to do. Give them a guidance document, STICK WITH THAT DOCUMENT, and stop moving the goalposts.
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Flashbacks to being a dev: “I can‘t make it do what you want if you don’t tell me what you want it to do.”
 
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deevey said:
They don't want to say it, but I'd guess it's regarding access of accounting data on dating app companies and charging 27% as commission from apps that use a third party payment provider.

Most Probably so this doesn't end up in a higher court where logic might prevail. Apple did what they wanted, to the letter, but not the "spirit" of what the regulators wanted e.g. substantially lower charges to app providers.
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Not sure what they were expecting. Apple makes 3% (actually less) with their payment system, why should/would Apple cut the price more than that?
 
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Nuno Lopes said:
That is what Apple wants you to feel … not real.

Quite clearly Apple is being creative in the way it trying to comply with as much roadblocks as possible. It will not work.
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Apple is not making me feel anything. Its the regulators that I am frustrated with. you can't level a playing field while addressing only one of the players on the field. Apple is just one of the easiest targets
 
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