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Apple's app store payment procedures have been called into question.

Apple has not complied, the Dutch authority said again on Monday.

Apple maintains that a 27 percent commission will be charged.

WHY IN NEWS 

On Monday, the Dutch antitrust authority fined Apple EUR 5 million (approximately Rs 42 crore) for failing to enable software programme developers in the Netherlands to use non-Apple payment methods for dating applications on the App Store, the company's fourth such fine. Since Apple violated a January 15 deadline to implement modifications requested by the watchdog, the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) has started levying weekly fines of EUR 5 million (approximately Rs. 42 crore). Antitrust regulators and politicians in numerous countries, most recently in the United States, have questioned Apple's app-store payment rules, particularly its insistence that app creators utilise Apple's payment system solely with fees of up to 30%.

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Apple claims to have met with the ACM's Dec ruling, which determined it was abusing a dominating market position and required it to alter. Apple, however, has not obliged, according to the Dutch watchdog, and is imposing 'unnecessary and unfair' limitations on courting app makers. Developers that wish to utilise non-Apple payment options must resubmit app to the Android Market and then persuade their consumers to convert, according to the ACM. Apple did not reply to requests for comment, despite the fact that it claims non-Apple payment methods represent a security risk. Apple's plan, according to the Coalition for App Fairness (CAF), which represents developers like Tinder owner Match Group, is to delay overhauling its app store as long as possible while figuring out the bare minimum of reform antitrust inspectors can tolerate.

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'Wouldn't you spend a few of million on attorneys if you can go on for another couple of years?' says Apple. 'Every year of delay equals another $25 billion in income.' On January 15, Apple stated that it had complied with the Dutch regulator's judgement, but the regulator answered that Apple had made no modifications and had simply stated that it would. Apple detailed how developers might add alternative payment mechanisms in a statement released on February 3, but the ACM claimed the corporation did not provide enough information to judge what had changed. Apple says it will continue to charge a 27 percent fee on any in-app payments it does not process, which is somewhat less than the 30 percent it now charges.

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