Draft legislation submitted in Russia this week could see Apple's App Store commission cut by a third if it is ratified by the country's parliament.
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Reuters reports that the bill requires that commissions on the sale of apps by Apple and Google be capped at 20%. Apple has a long-standing policy of collecting 30% commission on all sales (including in-app purchases) in the App store.
The bill, submitted to Russia's lower house of parliament by lawmaker Fedot Tumusov, stipulates that commissions on the sale of applications be capped at 20%.
The bill, if adopted, would also oblige app sellers to pay a third of their commissions to a special training fund for IT specialists on a quarterly basis.
According to a Russian-language Kommersant report, which has been shared by Tumusov on Twitter, the bill also proposes to oblige owners of mobile operating systems to allow users to install alternative stores. This would be especially problematic for Apple, since the App Store is the only official source for apps on its mobile devices.
Apple has been involved in a number of App Store controversies in recent months, from the Hey email app rejection to its battle with Epic Games. Regulators have also been taking a look at Apple's policies regarding App Store commissions and exclusive control over app distribution.
Apple is already facing App Store scrutiny in Russia since the Russian Federal Anti-Monopoly Service (FAS) concluded that Apple abused its dominant App Store position and limited competition in the iOS app market by banning parental control apps. Apple said at the time that it would appeal the decision.
Top Rated Comments
2. Like Epic, they are trying to open up iOS so that malware, spyware and banned apps can be installed, either by a distributor or user stupidity.
This is what happens when you don’t have a vetted sandboxed system:
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/craigsilverman/cheap-chinese-smartphones-malware
I am sure developers will be delighted when their $2000/month storage bill comes in whether they sell a single unit or not, like the good old days.
I personally like the idea of a walled garden a lot as it contributes a lot to my digital safety.
20% means Apple will cut back on developer services to make up the difference and likely charge for services that used to be 100% free for all developers.
Correction: No Russian App Store for you soon. You can always sign up on a different App Store.
Another correction: Only free apps and no in-app purchases available on the App Store. Developers can choose to make their app and in app purchases free for Russia only.