Apple has clarified that the warning messages appearing next to certain EU App Store listings regarding apps that do not utilise its payment system are not newly implemented. According to various reports, these warnings, which feature a red exclamation mark, were added to discourage users from external payment systems now permitted by the recently enacted EU Digital Markets Act (DMA).
The tech giant noted that these notifications have been part of its DMA Compliance Plan since March 2024, contrary to claims that they were newly introduced. This clarification comes amidst heightened scrutiny following Apple’s recent legal battle with Epic Games, which led to a court ruling that requires Apple to allow developers to link to external payment methods in the U.S.
Recent confusion over the messaging was sparked by a post on the social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), highlighting a warning screen for an app called Instacar, which indicated that it was using external purchases. Many users took this as a sign of Apple’s alleged punitive stance against developers utilizing alternative payment options, referring to the approach as “malicious compliance.”
However, Apple explained that the messages are not new and that many developers had not yet taken advantage of the DMA’s provisions for external purchases. RevenueCat’s CEO, Jacob Eiting, indicated that developers may simply be realising the existence of these warnings now, as fewer than 100 apps had opted for the external payment options.
In response to prior backlash about the warning’s tone, Apple planned to revise the message, aiming to clarify that transactions were supported by the developer, not by Apple, an update that the European Commission reportedly did not object to. However, without further directives from the EC, Apple retained the original messages.
Despite these efforts for clarification, Apple’s stance was complicated by a hefty €500 million fine imposed by the EC in April 2025 for non-compliance under the DMA, which the company is currently appealing. As a result, perceptions surrounding Apple’s payment policies and its attitude towards external systems continue to be contentious within the developer community.
Fanpage: TechArena.au
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