Apple hit with €500m fine under EU’s DMA and what it means for you as a publisher
Could Apple’s €500m EU Fine Reshape App Store Rules—and Shift the Ground for UK Publishers?
For years, publishers have criticized Apple’s App Store for its high fees and monopoly over digital content sales. Now, in a major win under the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), Apple has been fined €500 million and given 60 days to comply with new rules.
The UK is also tackling big tech dominance with its own Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (DMCC), led by the Competition and Markets Authority. This could eventually force Apple and Google to allow publishers to sell directly to users outside their platforms. Although the EU ruling doesn’t yet apply to the UK, it's unclear if Apple will adopt similar changes voluntarily or wait until UK legislation is passed.
The EU’s DMA team found that that the tech giant to have misused its dominant position in the app ecosystem – particularly in how it distributes and monetises apps – by creating barriers that have long hindered competition. The EU’s enforcement is expected to significantly ease the path for publishers to generate revenue from apps, especially by curbing what are widely seen as excessive fees and restrictive practices within Apple’s App Store. A spokesperson from the European Publishers Council, commented: “The real win here isn’t just the fine – it’s the imminent structural changes Apple is now required to make. For years, their model has stifled innovation and fairness through inflated commissions and tight control over app distribution and payments.”
The ruling compels Apple to allow developers, including publishers, to promote alternative offers outside the App Store, link users to external websites, and support direct downloads. This could dramatically enhance publishers' ability to engage with subscribers, run in-app promotions, and build lasting relationships without being forced to rely solely on Apple’s infrastructure.
Importantly, the ruling also demands that publishers be allowed to use alternative payment systems and that they retain access to subscriber data from in-app purchases – data Apple currently withholds. As it stands, publishers are left in the dark about which of their readers have active subscriptions via the App Store, a situation the EU says must change.
The Commission’s expectation is that Apple’s commission on digital subscriptions should fall from the current 30% to somewhere between 3-5% for publishers operating in the EU.
This decision follows a separate enforcement action against Meta, which was fined €200 million over its “consent or pay” ad model on Facebook and Instagram. The EU found that Meta’s approach didn’t meet the DMA’s requirement to provide users with a clear, privacy-friendly alternative to data-driven personalisation.
Though many UK publishers have adopted similar binary consent models, the UK’s data regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office, previously deemed them compliant. However, the EU ruling may influence future interpretation of consent standards on both sides of the Channel. As the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority continues its investigations into Meta, Google and others, the direction of travel is clear: global platforms are increasingly being asked to operate on fairer, more transparent terms – or face steep penalties.
