Apple updates App Store payment rules

SAN FRANCISCO. Apple has updated its App Store rules to allow developers to contact users directly about payments, a concession in a legal settlement with companies challenging its tightly controlled marketplace.

According to App Store rules updated on Friday, developers can now contact consumers directly about alternative payment methods, bypassing Apple’s commission of 15 or 30 per cent. They will be able to ask users for basic information, such as names and email addresses, “as long as this request remains optional”, said the iPhone maker.

Apple proposed the changes in August in a legal settlement with small app developers.

But the concession is unlikely to satisfy firms like “Fortnite” developer Epic Games, with which the tech giant has been grappling in a drawn-out dispute over its payments policy. (AFP)