South Korea has fined Apple and Google a combined 63.7 billion won (about US$47.6 million), saying they abused their dominance in app store markets by forcing local developers onto their own payment systems and by unfairly delaying app reviews, reports APNews.
The Korea Media and Communications Commission, the country’s media and telecommunications regulator, fined Apple 20.8 billion won ($15.5 million) and Google 42.9 billion won ($32 million). It ordered both companies to let South Korean developers use external payment links within their apps and to improve their app review procedures.
The brouhaha with the South Korean authorities has been going on for years. In August 2022 the company’s government approved a bill regarding alternative app store payment methods by Apple and Google.
The rules specify that the law bars “the act of forcing a specific payment method to a provider of mobile content” by unfairly utilizing the app market operator’s status. The law amended South Korea’s Telecommunications Business Act to prevent large app-market operators from requiring the use of their in-app purchasing systems. It also banned operators from unreasonably delaying the approval of apps or deleting them from the marketplace.
I hope you’ll help support Apple World Today by becoming a patron. Almost all our income is from Patreon support and sponsored posts. Patreon pricing ranges from $2 to $10 a month. Thanks in advance for your support.
