Apple To Open App Store To Competitors in EU As It Seeks To Avoid Fines

Apple has announced that it will allow developers in the European Union to distribute iOS apps outside of its App Store, a move aimed at avoiding further fines from EU regulators. The policy change comes as Apple faces the deadline to comply with EU rules, which could result in fines of up to 5% of its average daily worldwide revenue. The company has been negotiating with the European Commission for two months after receiving a $585 million fine for breaching the EU's Digital Markets Act. Additionally, Apple will replace its "core technology fee" model with a commission-based structure starting in January 2026, as part of its efforts to comply with EU regulations.