Tracking and new commercial terms: Apple is changing its rules to comply with EU regulations

Brussels – Apple reverses course. The US technology company has announced changes to its corporate policy to better comply with EU digital markets rules. Apple has announced its intention to amend the tracking requirements for iPhone apps in European countries after criticism from competition authorities and protests from the advertising sector, and has also ended an investigation by the German Federal Cartel Office. 

As agreed with the German competition authority, third-party apps must be redesigned to remove discouraging language and symbols. The messages must also be visually and linguistically neutral. Specifically, the proposed changes include removing the word “tracking” from the selection page. App operators will also be able to ask users again, after one year, for permission to track their activity on other apps and websites. 

The wording of the options will also change. Until now, the first option was “Ask the app not to track” and the second “Allow”. In the future, there will simply be a choice between “Allow” and “Reject”. The new version of the prompt will be shown only to users currently in the European Union, regardless of their country of origin. 

Not only that: Apple is set to change its commercial policies. Specifically, it is committed to eliminating practices that discourage the use of third-party options. Specifically, app developers will be subject to a single set of commercial terms that will allow them to choose different distribution channels for their apps: third-party app stores, the web, or Apple’s App Store. Furthermore, developers will have greater freedom to direct App Store users towards alternative platforms and payment systems. Another commitment is to “a significant reduction and simplification of App Store fees, as well as the elimination of the Core Technology Fee.” 

The changes will not be implemented immediately. Apple is committed to implementing these new terms and conditions in the EU from October 2026.