Fee Structure Also Transitioning to CTC (Core Technology Commission)
Apple is comprehensively revising its App Store operating policies in compliance with the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA). June 26, 2025: Apple announced new policy changes expanding developer and user rights. Under this change, developers can freely promote external payment pathways within apps, and users can install apps through websites or alternative app marketplaces rather than Apple App Store. Additionally, the existing CTF (Core Technology Fee) will be phased out and replaced with a new CTC (Core Technology Commission). This signals that Apple long-maintained closed ecosystem structure is reaching a critical turning point in the European market. The DMA compliance context: Apple had been fighting EU DMA requirements through legal challenges and compliance interpretations that regulators deemed insufficient; the June 2025 announcement represents a more substantive capitulation to DMA requirements after facing potential fines; the CTC model replaces the controversial CTF that charged developers for each install even from alternative marketplaces -- a structure developers argued made alternative distribution economically unviable; the practical impact: European iPhone users will now have genuine access to alternative app marketplaces (like the Epic Games Store) and developers can link to external payment systems with meaningful commercial terms rather than effectively punitive fees.
