EU iPad users will be able to download apps from alternate marketplaces next week

As part of a new update, Apple will allow EU iPad users to download apps from alternate marketplaces as of Monday (September 16).

The news honors Apple’s announcement in May: ” If you have entered into the Alternative Terms Addendum for Apps in the EU, iPadOS first annual installs will begin to accrue, and the lower App Store commission rate will apply.”

EU Apple users will get the opportunity as part of the iPadOS 18 update on September 16. The European Commission listed iPadOS as a gatekeeper platform under the Digital Markets Act, so developers can opt to have an alternative user agreement to make their creations accessible on multiple platforms.

Apple’s move comes alongside the Core Technology Fee (CTF), which is triggered when an app surpasses more than one million first annual installs per year in the EU.

The world’s most valuable company said: “We believe anyone with a good idea and the ingenuity to bring it to life should have the opportunity to offer their app to the world. Only developers who reach significant scale pay the CTF.”

Apple’s EU woes

Apple was recently fined 13 billion euros (around $14.4 billion) in back taxes by Ireland. The global device manufacturer allegedly took advantage of unfair loopholes in Ireland’s tax regulations.

Several major U.S. institutions have European bases of operations in the Emerald Isle. Companies like Google, Experian, Apple, and Seagate Technology Group all reside in Dublin.

The Irish Government released a statement (September 10) on the decision, saying: “The Irish position has always been that Ireland does not give preferential tax treatment to any companies or taxpayers. The CJEU has found that the tax paid was insufficient and that a greater amount of taxation was required to be recovered. Ireland will of course respect the findings of the Court regarding the tax due in this case.”

Image: Ideogram

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