Developers Demand EU Regulators Enforce Apple Fee Rules Amidst Escalating DMA Dispute
Developers are turning up the heat on European regulators, demanding immediate action against Apple's compliance tactics with the Digital Markets Act. The core of the clash? Fees.
The Fee Fight
Apple's proposed workaround for DMA rules—a new "core technology fee"—has sparked outrage. Developers argue it's a cleverly disguised tax that maintains the tech giant's revenue stream while technically adhering to the letter, but not the spirit, of the law. They claim the new structure still stifles competition and choice.
A Regulatory Showdown
The pressure is now squarely on the European Commission. Developer coalitions are filing formal complaints, urging enforcers to move beyond warnings and levy substantial fines. They want a precedent set that makes gatekeepers think twice before creative compliance. The next few months could define tech regulation for a generation.
This isn't just about app stores—it's a blueprint for the future of digital markets. Will regulators have the stomach for a real fight, or will this become another line item in Apple's cost of doing business? After all, what's a few billion in fines when you're sitting on a war chest bigger than most countries' GDP?
Developers urge EU regulators to act on fees
After the ruling, Apple changed its terms, but the changes triggered more backlash. The new model adds fees between 13 percent and 20 percent for App Store sales and another 5 percent to 15 percent on outside transactions. The Coalition for App Fairness, which includes Deezer and Proton, said the fees break DMA rules and still put European firms at a disadvantage. They said U.S. developers now get better treatment simply because of a court order.
CAF said, “This situation is untenable and damaging to the app economy,” and claimed Apple is hurting transparency and blocking new ideas. Their Global Policy Counsel, Gene Burrus, said developers must either absorb the higher fees or push costs onto users.
He said, “It is bad for European companies, and it is bad for European consumers.” CAF said that six months after the EU ruling, developers in Europe are still stuck with terms that were already declared illegal.
Apple promised more changes in January but has not explained what any of those changes will look like. Developers say the silence is adding confusion and feeding a sense that nothing will shift unless regulators force it.
Burrus said the group wants the EU to tell Apple that “the law is the law and that free of charge means free of charge.” He also said that if Apple refuses to comply, the EU should consider taking the issue to the European Court of Justice.
Leaked iOS 26 code reveals Apple device roadmap
While the fee fight builds, researchers elsewhere found more details about upcoming Apple hardware after a prototype iPhone running an early version of iOS 26 was sold, after the operating system somehow leaked and made its way online.
MacRumors said the leak backs up the expected release timeline through late 2026. The M5 MacBook Air is set for early 2026, followed by the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro, and then a cheaper new MacBook model.
Next comes the updated Mac mini with M5 and M5 Pro chips and two new Mac Studio systems. By late 2026, the redesigned M6 Pro and M6 Max MacBook Pro models should arrive, while the base M6 version keeps the current design.
The iOS 26 code shows more than Macs. It includes identifiers for the next AirTag, labeled B589, and the second-generation Apple Studio Display, listed as J427 and J527.
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