Exclusive-Apple set to stave off daily fines, EU to accept App Store changes, sources say
The company last month said developers will pay a 20 per cent processing fee for purchases made via the App Store, though the fees could go as low as 13 per cent for Apple's small-business program.
Developers who send customers outside the App Store for payment will pay a fee between 5 per cent and 15 per cent. They will also be able to use as many links as they wish to send users to outside forms of payment.
Apple made the changes after the EU antitrust enforcer handed it a 500 million euro ($586.7 million) fine in April and gave it 60 days to comply with the Digital Markets Act aimed at reining in Big Tech and giving rivals more room to compete.
The European Commission is expected to approve the changes in the coming weeks, although the timing could still change, the people said.
"All options remain on the table. We are still assessing Apple's proposed changes," the EU watchdog said.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company earlier this month said it had implemented the changes to avoid punitive daily fines, while criticising the Commission for mandating how it runs its store.
The company could have been hit with daily fines of 5 per cent of its average daily worldwide revenue, or about 50 million euros per day.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
EU chief von der Leyen heads to Scotland for trade talks with Trump
BRUSSELS/EDINBURGH - EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen headed to Scotland on Saturday ahead of a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday afternoon, commission spokespeople said, as EU officials said the two sides were nearing a trade agreement. Trump, in Scotland for a few days of golfing and bilateral meetings, told reporters upon his arrival on Friday evening that he was looking forward to meeting with von der Leyen, calling her a "highly respected" leader. He repeated his view that there was a 50-50 chance that the U.S. and the 27-member European Union could reach a framework trade pact, adding that Brussels wanted to "make a deal very badly". If it happened, he said it would be the biggest trade agreement reached yet by his administration, surpassing the $550 billion accord agreed with Japan earlier this week. The White House has released no details about the planned meeting or the terms of the emerging agreement. The European Commission on Thursday said a negotiated trade solution with the United States was within reach, even as EU members voted to approve counter-tariffs on 93 billion euros ($109 billion) of U.S. goods in case the talks collapse. To get a deal, Trump said the EU would have to "buy down" that tariff rate, although he gave no specifics. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Woman taken to hospital after car falls into sinkhole on Tanjong Katong Road Singapore Students hide vapes in underwear, toilet roll holders: S'pore schools grapple with vaping scourge Singapore 'I've tried everything': Mum helpless as son's Kpod addiction spirals out of control Singapore NDP 2025: How Benjamin Kheng is whisked from Marina Bay to Padang in 10 minutes by boat, buggy Singapore Almost half of planned 30,000 HDB flats in Tengah to be completed by end-2025: Chee Hong Tat Singapore From libraries to living rooms: How reading habits take root in underserved S'pore children Asia Thai-Cambodia clashes spread along frontier as death toll rises Asia Thousands rally in downtown Kuala Lumpur for resignation of PM Anwar EU diplomats say a possible deal between Washington and Brussels would likely include a broad 15% tariff on EU goods imported into the U.S., mirroring the U.S.-Japan deal, along with a 50% tariff on European steel and aluminum. The broad tariff rate would be half the 30% duties that Trump has threatened to slap on EU goods from August 1. It remains unclear if Washington will agree to exempt the EU from sectoral tariffs on automobiles, pharmaceuticals and other goods that have already been announced or are pending. Combining goods, services and investment, the EU and the United States are each other's largest trading partners by far. The American Chamber of Commerce in Brussels warned in March that any conflict jeopardized $9.5 trillion of business in the world's most important commercial relationship. REUTERS
Straits Times
10 hours ago
- Straits Times
South Korea to prepare mutually agreeable trade package as US tariff deadline looms
SEOUL - South Korea will prepare a trade package that is mutually agreeable with the United States ahead of minister-level meetings planned next week and a US tariff-pause deadline of Aug 1, the presidential office said on July 26. The package will include shipbuilding cooperation, a sector of high interest to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who discussed the matter with South Korea's Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan on July 25, it said in a statement. The July 25 meeting was a follow-up to a meeting on July 24, where Mr Lutnick and Mr Kim reaffirmed their commitment to reach a trade deal by Aug 1, after a joint meeting of finance ministers and top trade envoys that had been scheduled for July 25 was postponed. South Korea, facing 25 per cent tariffs, is rushing to reach a trade deal with Washington , with National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac visiting the US recently for high-level talks and Minister for Trade Yeo Han-koo also in the US for negotiations, as pressure grows on officials to clinch a deal that is no worse than Japan's that cut tariffs to 15 per cent. South Korea's trade negotiations with the US have included non-tariff barriers in the agricultural and digital service sectors, but foreign exchange has not been part of trade talks beyond usual consultations, according to South Korean officials. US President Donald Trump arrived in Scotland on July 25 for bilateral talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on July 27, which could yield a trade deal with the European Union, after making a deal earlier this week with Japan and the Philippines . Next week, US officials will hold a new round of trade talks with China in Sweden for an extension to a separate deadline of Aug 12 set between the two countries. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Students hide vapes in underwear, toilet roll holders: S'pore schools grapple with vaping scourge Singapore 'I've tried everything': Mum helpless as son's Kpod addiction spirals out of control Singapore Almost half of planned 30,000 HDB flats in Tengah to be completed by end-2025: Chee Hong Tat Singapore From libraries to living rooms, how reading habits take root in underserved S'pore kids Asia Death toll climbs as Thai-Cambodia clashes continue despite calls for ceasefire Singapore As Asean looks to nuclear energy, public education efforts are needed: UN nuclear watchdog chief Asia Thousands rally in downtown Kuala Lumpur for resignation of PM Anwar Asia Shunsaku Tamiya, who brought perfection to plastic race car models, dies at 90 South Korea's Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol and Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will also hold meetings with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and State Secretary Marco Rubio, respectively, next week. REUTERS
Straits Times
17 hours ago
- Straits Times
Hackers hit a US app called Tea, where women review men they've dated
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Stolen pictures included some 13,000 selfies or images featuring photo identification submitted to verify Tea accounts. SAN FRANCISCO - An American app that lets women share 'red flags' or feedback about men they have dated called 'Tea' confirmed on July 25 that hackers had accessed some 72,000 images including user IDs. A preliminary investigation indicated hackers early on July 25 accessed a 'legacy' storage system holding images uploaded by users who signed up before February 2024, a Tea spokeswoman told AFP. Stolen pictures included some 13,000 selfies or images featuring photo identification submitted to verify Tea accounts, according to the spokeswoman. The rest of the pictures were from posts, comments or messages publicly viewable in the app, the company said. No email address or phone number data was accessed, according to Tea. Tea's website boasts a 'sisterhood' of more than 1.6 million women who can share dating advice and experiences anonymously on the platform. The app has attracted interest and triggered controversy with its promise to help women avoid problematic men and get intel on dating prospects. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Cambodia calls for ceasefire with Thailand after deadly clashes Asia Behind deadly Thai-Cambodian clashes, a bitter spat between two dynastic leaders Multimedia Lights dimmed at South-east Asia's scam hub but 'pig butchering' continues Business Banking and finance jobs will change but won't disappear as AI becomes the new normal: Accenture Sport Mikkel Lee gets back up to speed as Singapore swimmers eye 2028 Olympics spots Business How parents can prevent disputes over their properties Asia Hottest 'ticket' in Jakarta? Young Indonesians compete for a slot at this novel club Singapore Kopi, care and conversation: How this 20-year-old helps improve the well-being of the elderly Critics point out privacy risks of date reviews that include photos and names, while fans tout the potential for women to avoid manipulative, dishonest, or violent encounters. Tea became the top free app in the Lifestyle category in Apple's App Store this week after it went viral on social media. Copies of ID card photos swiped from Tea were posted on July 25 on 4Chan, an online forum known for 'incel' culture and rampant misinformation, according to screenshots shared on Reddit and other sites. The security breach, involving images of IDs like driver licenses, exposes victims to the risk of stalking or identity theft, according to Mr Trey Ford, head of security at cybersecurity company Bugcrowd. 'Connecting usernames to actual legal names and home addresses exposes these women to a variety of concerns,' Mr Ford told AFP. 'Identity theft is only the tip of this iceberg.' AFP
