Developers will be able to contact customers about alternative payment methods.
Apple is offering to make a number of App Store rule concessions in a bid to settle a class-action lawsuit the company has been fighting for a couple of years. The lawsuit was originally filed back in June 2019 by two developers claiming Apple had an “abusive monopoly” in the iOS App Store and in-app distribution service. The complaint states that Apple doesn’t allow any form of competition, charges a high commission on each app sale as well as charging developers for access to the store, and dictates price points. As Axios reports, Apple has offered to make a number of changes, providing the court approves, in order to settle the lawsuit. The most headline-grabbing change is Apple allowing app developers to communicate directly with customers about alternative payment options outside of the App Store ecosystem.
