Cyriel Ruers was interviewed about the European Commission's impending investigation into Apple's and Alphabet's (Google's parent company) compliance with the anti-steering provisions of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). This investigation specifically concerned the policies the two companies pursue in relation to their app stores. Apple and Alphabet charge fees when app developers strike deals with end users, even when operating outside of the app stores. The European Commission is investigating whether this is in line with the requirement from the DMA to allow app developers to make direct offers to consumers free of charge. Among other things, Cyriel explained that the DMA entails major financial benefits for app developers:
"The ability to enter into agreements with end users outside of app stores can result in big financial advantages for app developers by eliminating the need for them to pay high one-time or recurring fees."
Cyriel also addressed the potential defenses that Apple and Alphabet may invoke.
You can read the full interview here.
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