While the App Store imposes strict regulations to limit the use of non-fungible tokens (NFT) in its ecosystem, European regulations are forcing Apple to turn around: third-party applications will soon be able to circumvent App Store restrictions.
Apple goes into reverse
Famous for its hermetic ecosystem, the American firm is currently preventing the development of an important branch of Web3: NFTs. Last October, Apple made the choice to restrict the use of non-fungible tokens to artistic and collectible aspects.
However, the closed system of the technology company will soon be open to competition. In response to new European legislation coming into force in 2024, Apple must allow the deployment of alternative application stores to the App Store on its devices.
Concretely, this means that the recent rules imposed on NFTs will become null and void. By going through third-party app stores, publishers will be able to circumvent the 30% commission imposed by the App Store, while developing games where NFTs allow unlocking in-game content.
👉 To understand everything about NFTs in a few minutes.
By imposing a 30% commission on the sale of non-fungible tokens, Apple significantly reduces the profit margin of professionals trading NFTs. Therefore, several voices from Web3 have been raised to denounce this abuse of authority.
Coinbase refused to submit to the demands of the firm led by Tim Cook, rejecting the deployment of some of its services on Apple devices. Meanwhile, Dan Finlay, co-founder of Metamask, called Apple’s tax “ abuse of monopoly comparing the company to the fictional character Big Brother.
👉 Don’t know how to buy an NFT? Follow our complete guide on the subject
Buy NFTs on Binance
Discover Binance’s NFT Marketplace 🔥
Towards the opening of the Apple ecosystem in Europe?
For years, the various political entities of the European Union have denounced the monopoly of Apple. However, the new legislation named “ Digital Markets Act comes to upset the American company in the same way as its digital counterparts.
Published in the Official Journal of the European Union in October 2022, this regulation is introduced to decentralize digital-related sectors where the GAFAMs reign as undisputed masters in their respective markets.
For Apple, this regulation goes against its technical and economic model based on its closed system. From now on, the American company will have to submit to greater competitiveness by allowing :
- downloading from application stores other than the App Store;
- the interoperability of the various instant messaging applications existing on the market;
- uninstalling applications pre-installed on a device;
- the choice of software when installing the operating system on a device (such as the web browser and the search engine).
The new legislation, in application from May 2023, will be tolerant of non-compliant companies until 2024. Pending this date, developers of NFT-related applications must be patient for the deployment of their projects on Apple devices.
👉 Also in the news – The European Union will limit cash payments to 10,000 euros
Order our Book to understand everything about cryptos
Published by Editions Larousse
Sources: Bloomberg, Public Life
Newsletter 🍞
Receive a summary of crypto news every Monday by email 👌
What you need to know about affiliate links. This page presents assets, products or services relating to investments. Some links in this article are affiliated. This means that if you buy a product or register on a site from this article, our partner pays us a commission. This allows us to continue to offer you original and useful content. There is no impact on you and you can even get a bonus by using our links.
Investments in cryptocurrencies are risky. Cryptoast is not responsible for the quality of the products or services presented on this page and could not be held responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused following the use of a good or service highlighted in this article. Investments related to crypto-assets are risky by nature, readers should do their own research before taking any action and only invest within the limits of their financial capabilities. This article does not constitute investment advice.
AMF recommendations. There is no guaranteed high return, a product with high return potential involves high risk. This risk-taking must be in line with your project, your investment horizon and your ability to lose part of this savings. Do not invest if you are not ready to lose all or part of your capital.
To go further, read our Financial Situation, Media Transparency and Legal Notices pages.