This week, the European Commission designated iPadOS a gatekeeper platform” under the Digital Markets Act. In response, Apple says it will bring its recent iOS changes for apps in the European Union (EU) to iPadOS later this fall.
Developers can choose to adopt the Alternative Business Terms for Apps in the EU that will include these additional capabilities and options on iPadOS, or stay on Apple’s existing terms. Once these changes are publicly available to users in the EU, the core technology fee (CTF) will also apply to iPadOS apps downloaded through the App Store, Web Distribution, and/or alternative marketplaces.
Users who install the same app on both iOS and iPadOS within a 12-month period will only generate one first annual install for that app. To help developers estimate any potential impact on their app businesses under the Alternative Terms Addendum for Apps in the EU, Apple has updated the App Install reports in App Store Connect that can be used with our fee calculator.
For more details, developers should visit the “Understanding the Core Technology Fee for iOS apps in the European Union” page. If they’ve already entered into the Alternative Terms Addendum for Apps in the EU, they should be sure to sign the updated terms.
