On the morning of March 31, Apple announced today that dating apps in the App Store in the Netherlands can support access to third-party apps, no longer a “choose one”, but only in the Netherlands and devices running iOS or iPadOS. This means that after being fined ten times by the Dutch Consumer and Market Authority (ACM) for a total of 50 million euros, Apple has finally made a compromise.
Currently, developers can:
- Continue to use Apple’s in-app purchase system
- Use a third-party payment system within the app
- Or include an in-app link directing the user to the developer’s website to complete the purchase.
At the same time, Apple announced two other changes for dating apps in the Netherlands that accept other payment methods:
Third-Party Payment Service Provider Criteria: Apple is providing and more specific criteria to assess the possibility of third-party payment services being used in Dutch dating apps. Consumer Information Disclosure: Apps using both payment systems need to include an in-app mode sheet explaining to users that they will be making purchases through an external payment system and the potential impact that choice may have on users. Apple is adjusting the language mode of the worksheet to reduce the number of times it is displayed.
In December 2021, the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) announced that Apple must allow dating apps to support payment methods other than Apple’s existing in-app purchase system in the App Store in the Netherlands, or face a fine. Apple initially allowed Dutch dating apps to use third-party payments but required developers to choose among multiple payment systems.
This conditional support is not recognized by the ACM, which they say Apple has failed to meet. Apple has been fined 5 million euros a week since then, and now the total has reached 50 million, with the ACM saying the fines could be higher.
In today’s statement, Apple said the changes they announced today demonstrate the company’s compliance with its legal obligations in the Netherlands. At the same time, Apple reiterated that they did not agree with the order and are appealing. As of now, ACM has not announced whether Apple’s changes today have met its requirements.