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Apple-Backed Study Says EU App Fee Cuts Didn’t Lower App Store Prices

An analysis of 41 million EU transactions finds most developers maintained pricing after Apple’s DMA-driven commission reductions.

Overview

  • Analysis Group reviewed roughly 21,000 products enrolled from March to September 2024 and found prices stayed the same or rose for about 90–91% of items, with cuts on around 9% averaging about 2.5%.
  • Developers saved an estimated €20.1 million in commissions in the three months after adopting Apple’s alternative terms, reflecting typical commission reductions of about 10 percentage points.
  • More than 86% of the reported commission savings went to developers based outside the European Union.
  • The study tracked App Store prices in three‑month before/after windows and did not measure web or third‑party marketplace pricing, a limitation noted by commentators.
  • Apple is using the report to argue the Digital Markets Act has not produced consumer price benefits and to bolster its ongoing legal and regulatory challenges in the EU.