As the European Union continues to introduce measures to control unsavoury practices among Big Tech players, Apple has announced a dramatic change to its existing policy.

Apple said that it has accepted the EU’s demands to stop preventing music-streaming apps from informing users of deals away from the company’s App Store.

Music streaming apps on Apple’s App Store in Europe can now include a link to the developer’s website, informing customers of alternative ways of buying subscriptions.

However, in a contentious move that could whip up a string of complainants, Apple added that it will charge a commission of as much as 27 per cent on app sales made on a developers’ web page, after a user has clicked on an external link from the app and made a purchase within seven days.

Apple

The update in Apple’s policy comes weeks after it was slammed with an approximately A$3 billion penalty from the EU arising from an investigation into allegations it shut out music-streaming rivals on its platforms.

Apple, which previously charged as much as 30 per cent on app sales, said on Friday that the commission’s decision didn’t apply to the company’s fee structure.

Apple could over the coming months be forced to cede further ground. The EU Digital Markets Acts (DMA), which became enforceable last month, will continue to pressure Big Tech to ensure a level playing field. In recent comments by Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for a Europe fit for the Digital Age, she observed that the DMA could potentially compel Apple to allow users to delete the Photos app on the iPhones, should they wish to do so.

Apple’s latest loosening of its App Store restrictions also extends to retro game emulators. On Friday, it announced that game emulators can come to the App Store globally and offer downloadable games as long as they comply with “all applicable laws”. Therefore, retro console emulators already on Android can bring their apps to the iPhone.