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The App Store Freedom Act Could Change Apple’s Grip

11 May 2025 · 54 views · 0 likes · 0 reposts · 94 blog views

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Let’s be honest – using or building an app on Apple devices has always come with a catch. Apple makes the rules, and if you don’t play by them, good luck getting anywhere. And for a long time, that meant paying them a lot.

Most developers had to give Apple a 30% cut of anything they made through their app – in-app purchases, subscriptions. In 2021, Apple introduced a program that cut that to 15% for smaller developers earning under $1 million per year (since I still have Piano Companion, I was a beneficiary of that program).

And when a court told Apple to stop blocking developers from using their own payment systems, Apple still found a way to squeeze money out of them. They slapped a 27% commission on outside payments and made using them super confusing.

That led to a new class action lawsuit. The judge even said Apple “lied under oath” and sent the case for a criminal investigation.

Now, there’s a new bill in Congress called the App Store Freedom Act. It would force Apple and Google to let users install third-party app stores, remove pre-installed apps, and let developers use other payment systems without being punished for it. If companies break the rules, they could face fines up to $1 million per violation.

Europe already passed rules like this, and both Apple and Google have started making changes there.

The App Store Freedom Act Could Change Apple’s Grip

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