Epic Games &amp, Spotify understandably angry with Apple’s latest DMA release

Apple’s new DMA rules aren’t pleasing ‘Fortnite” maker
Spotify’s CEO said that the new update was “unacceptable.” Tim Sweeney, Epic CEO, called the new Apple fee structure in the EU “junk fees.” Apple’s first attempt to follow the EU’s Digital Markets Act failed, and the EU found it in violation. Apple revised its terms to try to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act while still maintaining a level of control. It didn’t even take long for Apple’s biggest critics to declare the new rules as a violation. Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic, took to X and voiced his displeasure at Apple’s new adjustments. He called them a “junk charge.” Spotify’s statement, first reported by TechCrunch, shows its disdain towards Apple’s implementation. Apple’s latest rule changes are seen by the company as a disregard for the DMA. Apple’s deliberately misleading proposal is being assessed,” reads the company statement. Apple has once again disregarded the Digital Markets Act’s (DMA) fundamental requirements by requesting a fee of up to 25% for basic communication. The European Commission has stated that charging recurring fees for basic elements such as pricing and linking are unacceptable. We urge the Commission to speed up its investigation, implement daily penalties and enforce the DMA. Apple has recently changed the fee structure for alternative app stores and external apps. The Core Technology Fee is still in place, but the previous fee has been split into 2 new fees. Apple charges an Initial Acquisition fee of 5% on any purchase made in the App Store by a new user. The second fee is a Store Services Charge of 10% on any sale made in the first 12 months. The year counter resets if the app is reinstalled or upgraded. The fee will vary depending on whether or not the developer is grandfathered in to the new rules, or if they’re part of the Small Business Program. Apple’s fee structure is the same, whether you are selling outside of Apple or not. It appears that Epic and Spotify are expecting the EU to rule Apple cannot collect a fee on purchases or app sales made outside the App Store. Apple is of course claiming a stake in the purchases, as the user was able to access the app via the App Store. Epic does not currently operate on iPhones, but it is planning to open a third-party shop and distribute Fortnite and other titles through other stores such as AltStore. Spotify is the world’s most popular music streaming service and Apple pays it very little money, if anything, other than the $100 developer fee.