Observed Signal · Aug 21, 2020 · Policy Update · Source: OnlineMarketing.de · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Negative
Publishers Challenge Apple's 30% App Store Fee
Major U.S. news publishers The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal, acting through Digital Content Next (DCN), filed an open letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook criticizing the App Store’s 30% commission on purchases, including newspaper subscriptions. DCN represents these publishers and calls for more favorable terms, seeking parity with Amazon’s negotiated 15% rate. The letter notes Apple’s long-standing non-negotiable terms and contrasts them with the Amazon exception, which observers previously saw applied after negotiations. Apple has not issued a public comment on the complaint. The move follows broader scrutiny of platform fees and echoes earlier Fortnite-related disputes involving Epic Games. The development highlights ongoing tensions around app distribution economics and publisher monetization in the ad-tech and media ecosystem.
Major platform policy dispute involving Apple and DCN with potential industry-wide impact on app monetization
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times filed a complaint with Apple over App Store terms.
- Digital Content Next (DCN) represents these publishers.
- Apple charges a 30% commission on App Store purchases, including newspaper subscriptions.
- DCN seeks parity with Amazon's 15% terms for all DCN-represented news publishers.
- Apple has not publicly commented on the open letter.
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Apple proposes 15% commission on external app purchases
Apple filed a proposal in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California seeking to charge commissions on purchases completed via external links or payment systems outside the App Store, with a tiered structure: 15% for standard apps, 10% for Video Partner, News Partner and Mini Apps Partner participants and for subscription renewals, and 5% for Small Business Program developers. The filing asks Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers to refer Apple and Epic Games to a confidential settlement conference before Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero; Apple said it approached Epic on August 11 but Epic did not consent. Epic rejects the proposed fees as inconsistent with Ninth Circuit guidance. The disclosure follows the Supreme Court’s refusal to pause lower-court proceedings tied to Apple’s litigation with Epic and alleged contempt over a 27% off‑App Store charge; Apple defended the fees as recouping App Store investments and compared them to Google Play rates.
Apple's New EU App Store Terms Still Breach DMA, Coalition Says
A coalition of 18 app developer and digital business organizations, including the European Game Developer Federation (EGDF) and the Coalition for App Fairness, has publicly criticized Apple's revised EU App Store terms, announced on August 18th, 2026. The groups argue the new terms still violate the Digital Markets Act (DMA). They specifically object to the 15% fee for steering users to external payment methods, which the DMA requires to be free, and the replacement of the previous Core Technology Fee with a 5% Core Technology Commission on transactions outside the App Store. The coalition claims the European Commission appears to endorse these terms without formal consultation, leaving developers in uncertainty. They also note that Apple retains significant control through app review and registration requirements, and reference a US court order barring similar fees. This follows Apple's €500m fine in April 2025 for DMA non-compliance.
Apple Appeals App Store External-Payments Ruling
Apple has filed to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review a Ninth Circuit ruling that limits how it can charge for external payments tied to App Store apps. The company is also seeking a stay of the appeals court’s contempt finding that its 27% commission on purchases using developers’ own payment systems undermined the court-ordered right to link to external payment options. The dispute stems from Epic Games adding external payments to Fortnite in 2020 to bypass App Store fees; lower courts and the Ninth Circuit found Apple in contempt in December 2025 and sent the issue back to a lower court. Apple argues the fee reflects broader App Store services, while Epic and developers say the charge defeats the court’s intent. Epic spokesperson Natalie Munoz criticized Apple’s stay request as a delay tactic.
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