Apple to split App Store into global and European versions to comply with new EU rules

Apple is going to split its App Store into two separate entities in anticipation of new European Union rules that provide for the permission to download third-party applications. As Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports in his newsletter Power On, This step is a response to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which was adopted in the EU in 2022.

Apple plans to implement these changes over the next few weeks, effectively separating the EU App Store from its global counterpart. The deadline for Apple to bring its operations into compliance with the DMA is March 7, giving the tech giant a narrow window of just over seven weeks to implement these significant changes.

Last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook met with EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager at the company’s headquarters in Apple Park, where the importance of compliance with the DMA was emphasized.

According to the agreement, Apple will be obliged not only to allow the installation of third-party app stores and additional downloads of apps from other sources, but also to allow developers to promote their products outside the App Store and integrate third-party payment systems. The DMA agreement could lead to significant changes in the way the App Store, as well as other Apple services such as FaceTime and Siri, operate in Europe.