Apple It has officially changed its rules to allow app developers to highlight alternative purchase options outside the app and communicate more directly with customers. The upgrade came two months after some developers settled in a class action lawsuit over how it manages app Store For iPhone and iPad.
The new rules, which Apple codified in changes to three of its guidelines, allow developers to request name and email information from users, as long as it is optional and not a necessary part of using their app. Apple also said it would not allow developers to collect information about children.
As part of those emails, Apple will allow developers to direct people to alternative payment methods, such as a website where someone can purchase a subscription associated with the app.
After publishing the update, Apple said, “The App Store is a secure and trusted place for customers to find and download apps, and a great opportunity for developers.”
The move marks Apple’s latest attempt to adjust how it manages its App Store to respond to criticism that tightly controls developers. Since the App Store is the only place Apple allows iPhone and iPad owners to download apps from, these developers say they are very restricted in what they are allowed to do on mobile devices.
One of Apple’s biggest developer critics is Epic Games, the maker of the hit online battle game Fortnite. Epic has already filed a damages suit against Apple in court, where a US district judge largely sided with the iPhone maker, saying it did not violate most antitrust laws. Both Epic and Apple have started their appeals.
In addition, Apple has struck a separate agreement with Japan’s Fair Trade Commission to allow ‘reader’ apps like Netflix to add links to signup websites from the App Store. The change will take effect from next year and will apply to developers around the world who provide access to magazines, newspapers, books, music and videos.
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