Xbox President: Apple’s DMA policy is a step in the wrong direction

Xbox President Sarah Bond has said that Apple is taking a step in the wrong direction with its DMA policy that goes into effect on March 7. She hopes Apple will listen to Microsoft’s feedback.

Bond says on X that constructive conversations between companies should lead to more competition and open platforms. She did this in response to a post by Spotify CEO Daniel Ek. He stated that Apple is creating an ‘untenable situation’ with its policy and that Spotify has no choice but to maintain the status quo.

Apple announced its plans earlier this month with which the American company wants to comply with the European Digital Markets Act. These plans show that iPhone users from the European Union will be able to download apps from app stores other than the App Store from March 7. They must download iOS 17.4 for this. Developers will also have the option to complete in-app purchases through their own payment service, but will still have to pay a commission on each transaction. Developers who want to sign up for the new policy must also take into account the Core Technology Fee. This new commission stipulates that a fee of 0.50 euros per download must be paid for apps that are installed more than 1 million times a year.

The Digital Markets Act is an antitrust law that aims to create a level playing field for companies that depend on gatekeepers, consisting of large tech companies such as Apple, Google and Meta. This European law must therefore promote fair competition by imposing restrictions on major players.