Apple’s latest round of App Store policy changes for the European Union is facing fierce backlash from Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney. Calling the update a “malicious compliance scheme,” Sweeney accused Apple of undermining the Digital Markets Act (DMA) with terms that punish developers who use alternative payment methods.
The update allows developers in the EU to promote external purchases more freely, including through in-app banners and webviews. However, Apple has layered the move with a new three-part fee structure that includes an Initial Acquisition Fee, a Store Services Fee with tiered commissions, and a Core Technology Commission set to replace the existing Core Technology Fee by January 2026. Sweeney says these charges cripple competition by taxing developers who opt out of Apple’s in-house payment system while also stripping away key services like auto-updates, customer support, and family sharing.
“Apps with competing payments are not only taxed but commercially crippled in the App Store,” Sweeney posted on X. “Apple blocks auto-updates to these apps, cripples search for them, and ensures that using these apps will be an intentionally-miserable experience.”
Sweeney Proposes Alternative Framework
In the same statement, Sweeney outlined a three-point plan for what he sees as a fair model. Sweeney urged Apple to make all App Store features available to every developer. He also pushed for full freedom in choosing payment methods and said Apple should charge only for its own services, without adding what he called “junk fees.”
“Apple and all developers live under a symbiotic relationship, as has historically been the case on operating systems like Windows and MacOS,” he said. He pointed to those platforms as examples of how open ecosystems can support healthy growth.
His comments followed Apple’s formal announcement of policy changes aimed at complying with the Digital Markets Act. The company faces a potential penalty of up to 5 percent of its average daily turnover if it fails to meet EU standards. The new rules mark Apple’s most significant changes since the App Store launched in 2008.
Regulatory Pressure, Developer Skepticism
According to Apple’s official developer update, the new terms let developers promote digital goods sold on websites, alternative app marketplaces, or within other apps. While promotions are now less restricted, the financial obligations remain complex. For instance, developers who attract new users must pay a 2 percent acquisition fee during the first six months. Depending on the services they choose, developers pay either a 5 or 13 percent Store Services Fee.
In our earlier report, we explained how Apple scrapped the single static link restriction and scaled back its controversial “scare sheet.” Now, the warning appears only once and gives users the option to suppress it.
Still, many developers reject the new structure. Sweeney called the tiered fees “junk economics masquerading as reform.” Others argue the update simply shifts Apple’s grip from one hand to the other.
A spokesperson for Apple said the company disagrees with the European Commission’s recent €500 million fine and plans to appeal, but will comply with the law while the appeal is pending. EU regulators, for their part, have promised to “carefully assess” Apple’s compliance efforts and gather feedback from industry stakeholders.
What happens next depends on how regulators respond and whether Apple’s new structure meets DMA standards. For now, developers can start using the new promotional tools immediately, but many are holding back to see if the fees soften or just reshape the cost of doing business outside Apple’s payments system.
