What you need to know
- South Korea is still trying to bring Apple in line with new App Store laws in the country.
- It says it wants more concrete detail about plans to comply with changes.
- New rules will soon prevent Apple from forcing developers to use their in-app payment system.
A new report claims that South Korea's communications regulator is still unsatisfied with Apple's plans to comply with new App Store laws in the country.
As reported by Reuters:
South Korea's telecommunications regulator wants better compliance plans from Apple Inc (AAPL.O) and Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google before finalizing rules for a law banning app store operators from forcing software developers to use their payments systems, officials said on Thursday.
South Korea passed laws last year amending its Telecommunication Business Act. The changes will prevent companies like Apple from forcing developers to use its in-app payments system on the App Store, a key demand in the Epic Games lawsuit currently going to appeal in the U.S.
An official told Reuters that Apple's plan "still lacks concrete detail", the company had previously said that it already complied with the law but has since said it will allowed alternative payment methods in the App Store. The report continues:
The KCC was in contact with Apple representatives for a more detailed compliance plan that goes beyond the general intention of allowing alternative payment systems, the official said.
The official went on to say that if app developers "find it realistically difficult to use an alternative payment system" and resort to the "dominant" system, this "would not fit the law's purpose."
Apple continues to remain under intense pressure around the globe to open up its App Store to alternative payment methods and sideloading on iOS. The company warned recently similar proposals in the U.S. would lead to malware and scams on the iPhone.
