★ What Is the Point of the DMA?

The Digital Markets Act (DMA) was established to promote competition and give choice to developers in the European Union. However, it appears that the primary objective of the DMA is to impose bureaucratic complexities and fines on major companies, rather than to genuinely enhance competition and developer choice.

According to AppleInsider, the European Commission (EC) welcomed Apple's revised business terms and pledged to monitor their implementation. The EC declared that the changes demonstrate effective compliance with the DMA. However, the author of this report argues that the EC's focus on imposing regulatory burdens is the true purpose of the DMA.

The author contends that the EU should have pushed for a model where developers can distribute iOS apps to users without any contractual ties to Apple. Such a scenario would have truly opened up competition and freedom for developers. However, the current status quo allows Apple to charge developers a 15% commission for linking users to web content from apps distributed through the App Store, as well as a 5% Core Technology Commission for third-party app marketplaces and payment processing.

Critics argue that the EU's acceptance of Apple's revised terms, which maintain Apple's ultimate control over app developers' dealings with users, is a reflection of the DMA's actual intent: to impose regulatory burdens and bureaucracy upon Apple, Google, Microsoft, and EU citizens alike. The report highlights that the EU's "welcoming" of Apple's changes is unsurprising because the Commission has achieved its desired outcome: third-party app marketplaces, withheld features, and a plethora of fines.