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Apple Slaps Warnings on Apps Using External Purchases in the EU [Updated]

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Update: According to Apple, the user-disclosure screens have been live on the EU App Store since the beginning of Apple’s DMA Compliance Plan back in March 2024. The screen is not new. Original story follows.

Apple has begun placing prominent warning labels on EU App Store listings that use alternative payment methods. The warning symbols appear as a red exclamation mark in a triangle, accompanied by text stating that the app "does not support the App Store's private and secure payment system" and "uses external purchases."

App Store
As noted by Michael Tsai, Apple is using its highest-level "critical" alert iconography – the same triangle symbol that macOS reserves for situations that might result in "unexpected loss of data."

Instacar, a popular Hungarian car valuation app with thousands of positive reviews, appears to be among the first to receive this treatment.

Apple's use of the warning labels comes just weeks after the European Commission fined Apple €500 million for violating the Digital Markets Act by restricting developers from informing users about alternative payment options. The Commission ordered Apple to "remove the technical and commercial restrictions on steering."


The warning labels also follow a contempt order issued by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers on April 30, barring Apple from enforcing App Store rules that prevented developers from directing users to external payment methods.

Tags: App Store, European Union

Top Rated Comments

P
PolarBear37
12 months ago
Warning: This product is harmful to Apple's profits. Use at Tim's risk.
Score: 75 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mjschabow Avatar
mjschabow
12 months ago
Such a bitter, immature thing to do.
Score: 62 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Pitogyro Avatar
Pitogyro
12 months ago
What a ridiculous, vicious company they have become.
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
M
macdaddy43
12 months ago
On top of that, if an app like Spotify was such a security risk from a payment perspective, why wouldn’t Apple have already blocked the app from being allowed in the App Store?

People have already been making external payments on these apps for years, now Apple all of a sudden puts a big warning on the app acting like it’s going to steal your identity? If it was such a risk, Apple should have removed apps like Spotify years ago from the App Store.

The only difference now is that they are allowed to use links in the app. Before they couldn’t. Now all of a sudden it’s not secure because they have a link in the app, taking to the same place you managed the service for years.

This is cringe coming from a multi-TRILLION dollar company. Doing everything they can to make sure they Hoover up every penny they can.
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cicalinarrot Avatar
cicalinarrot
12 months ago

Good. Consumers deserve to know whether or not the app they're downloading is going to be insecure and/or frustrating to use. Epic deserves this.

Anyone who is against this is clearly not being objective. This is pro-consumer.
This is laughable.
Apple has been trying to stop competition forever by making its phones non-repairable or non-upgradable with all the tricks in the book. Then, when forced by the law, they still try to scare consumers out of it.
A simple disclaimer would have been ok. We've been using non "apple verified" (or whatever) apps on Macs and it's been a great experience.
Apple just wants that sweet sweet money.
Definitive proof? They allowed third party stores (again, when forced) but still tried to put some clause that forced the biggest developers to give them money. Absolutely illegal, 100% for money, 0% for consumer safety.
Don't get fooled by these people.
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Small White Car Avatar
Small White Car
12 months ago

Good. Consumers deserve to know whether or not the app they're downloading is going to be insecure and/or frustrating to use. Epic deserves this.

Anyone who is against this is clearly not being objective. This is pro-consumer.
Should Apple pop this message up when you buy a stapler from the Amazon app?

And should it pop up when you buy it from Amazon in Safari on the Mac too?

Are these things missing from your iOS experience?
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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