Apple announces support for alternative app marketplaces, web browser engines in the EU with iOS 17.4

fresh@lemm.ee to Technology@lemmy.world – 125 points – Apple releases first iOS 17.4 beta with these changes for the EU - 9to5Mac
macstories.net

Updated the link to a better source that gives a more detailed overview.

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So, the .5 per annual install for alternative marketplaces seems to be the stop gap, right? A popular FOSS store like f-droid would have to cough up thousands of Euros.

Would it be possible to sell an alternative marketplace for 1 Euro on the app store, pay Apple's purchase commission and use the rest for the annual install fee?

Apple may think they're complying with the letter of the law but I suspect the EU will feel they're falling far far short of the moral of the law.

A popular FOSS store like f-droid would have to cough up thousands of Euros.

They're probably not big enough. This only applies to apps that are on 2% of all iPhones in the EU. It also doesn't apply to non-profits. If f-droid is that big, they probably should be a non-profit.

That fee also applies to apps published on the app store.

If I understand correctly it only affects apps with more than 1 million annual downloads. I also don't think it applies to marketplaces, only apps. So if fdroid had a marketplace, the devs would pay that fee and not fdroid.

https://developer.apple.com/support/core-technology-fee/