San Francisco (AFP)

Apple will allow certain mobile applications to include a link to their website, where users can manage their accounts and pay for their subscription, a major change in attitude on the part of the tech giant, cornered on all sides on the market. competition front.

The group presented this upcoming modification of the rules of the App Store, the platform for downloading applications, as its solution to "end" an investigation by the Japanese competition authority, according to a statement released Wednesday.

"The update will allow + reading + app developers to include a link to their website," says Apple.

From the beginning of 2022, streaming services, apps for books, newspapers and other media will thus be able to escape the 15 or 30% commission levied by the iPhone manufacturer and nicknamed "Apple tax" by these many detractors. .

It covers sales of apps in the App Store and purchases of digital goods and services within those apps.

Apple has always defended the closed operation of its application store as necessary to ensure the security of transactions and also of user data.

But the apple brand is facing lawsuits from various companies and authorities around the world.

They accuse it of abusing its dominant position by imposing the App Store as a mandatory intermediary between them and their users.

And also to take too high commissions.

After years of sticking to its positions, Apple is now increasing its concessions.

Last week, the group already announced that it would allow publishers to offer their customers payment methods outside the App Store, by notifying them by email.

This concession was part of an agreement to end lawsuits against small companies that design apps.

The Cupertino company can hope to ease the pressure on different fronts.

She is awaiting the verdict in the lawsuit brought against her by Epic Games, the publisher of the Fortnite game at war with Apple for a year for trying to bypass the App Store payment system.

Apple awaits verdict in lawsuit brought against it by Epic Games, Fortnite game publisher Chris DELMAS AFP / Archives

Spotify or Netflix already escaped the commission by not offering the possibility of taking a subscription via the app.

But they couldn't direct them to their website.

On the Spotify app, this message is displayed next to paid plans: "You cannot take out a Premium subscription on the app. We know, this is not ideal".

The consumer will soon no longer have to guess that he has to go to the website.

© 2021 AFP