For Stephen Nellis
Aug 26 (Reuters) – Apple Inc said on Thursday it reached a proposed settlement on a class action lawsuit filed by small developers on its App Store and will introduce changes, such as easing restrictions on information to iPhone users about methods. alternative payment methods.
A group of software developers filed the lawsuit in 2019, alleging that Apple violated antitrust laws with practices such as charging commissions of up to 30%.
The Cupertino, California-based company said it reached a proposed settlement covering developers who made $ 1 million a year or less, according to which developers drop all claims that Apple’s fees were too much. high.
In return, Apple said it will make a number of changes to the App Store, including preserving a change made last year that cuts fees for smaller developers to 15%. Apple said it will keep those rates for three years.
However, perhaps the biggest concession made by Apple is to end its practice of prohibiting developers from informing their customers about alternative forms of payment that do not involve paying Apple fees.
Apple said the changes will apply to all developers globally, not just those directly covered by the agreement in the United States.
(Reporting by Aishwarya Nair and Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru and Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; edited in Spanish by Carlos Serrano)
