What you need to know
- Apple is suing Russia's antimonopoly body.
- It's over a warning issued by Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service.
- The body previously told Apple it had to let developers tell customers about alternative payment options.
Apple has raised legal action against Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service over a warning it received regarding its App Store.
From Russia Today:
US technology giant Apple has brought legal action against Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) in an effort to challenge the request to "stop abuse in the market" submitted by that body earlier this year. Apple is seeking a judicial review of a warning, which is forcing the iPhone maker to allow app developers to tell customers about alternative payment options when using its App Store platform.
In August the FAS told Apple that it had until the end of September to change its App Store rules, and that it could face a big fine calculated based on Apple's revenue in Russia. Formal proceedings were issued against Apple in October over the company's failure to comply. The issue pertains to anti-steering clauses in Apple's developer agreement, which previously stated that developers could not inform customers in-app or through emails of ways to pay for digital goods and services beyond the app itself.
A judge in the Epic Games vs Apple trial ruled against Apple on this specific matter and said Apple would have to let developers offer links and wording that could direct customers to other ways of paying for goods. The rule is the reason that platforms like Netflix and Spotify do not offer customers the chance to sign up and pay for their services using Apple's in-app purchases.
