The Digital Markets Act (DMA) legislation could force Apple to open up iPhone to third-party app stores in the EU next year and Setapp says it will be ready if that happens. The company known for its popular app subscription service has officially announced its Setapp mobile app store and is taking applications from developers who would like to join in.
Setapp has expanded its app subscription service from macOS and web apps to include iOS in recent years. But the company sees the opportunity to offer its fully fledged app store for EU iPhone customers next year as a way to expand its offerings with “leading iOS-only developers” and to help them “reach a broader audience.”
Setapp says it already has over 30 developers planning to offer their apps on its app store:
Setapp is thrilled to announce that 30+ current vendors will be able to provide a full app experience to EU users, expanding the range of apps available and offering enhanced functionality on iOS devices, including such popular tools as Ulysses, Taskheat, NotePlan, PDFSearch, and Soulver.
Calling all iOS devs
Also, the company has opened applications for developers to submit their apps for consideration to join the Setapp app store.
Setapp says the benefits of joining as a developer include a built-in dedicated community of users, seamless onboarding, and the ability to offload commerce and distribution.
By joining Setapp, developers gain access to a dedicated community of users, expanding their app’s visibility and potential user base. Setapp delivers a seamless onboarding experience, enabling developers to focus on what they do best — building exceptional apps — while the team handles the commerce and distribution aspects.
Setapp revenue share
Top comment by AppleLion
Won’t Apple be allowed to charge these new app stores fees for all sales. Apple is not giving up their revenue and the EU will also have to understand that nobody can have their own store without Apple taking a cut. They might make it so expensive that no stores are able to run successfully. Nobody really wants multiple App Stores. Just look how divided streaming services are its not something to applaud. If that was the case with music then it would be really bad annoying. There are other ways to make money for companies it doesn’t have to be another App Store or 100 app stores. 😔🙈
While the base rate of revenue shared with devs is the same 70% at Setapp that it is with Apple, there is a potential bonus. Setapp shares 20% of fees with whoever brings in new customers, so developers have the potential to earn up to 90% of revenue from user fees per month.
If you’re a developer who’d like to get in touch with Setapp, you can do that here. And for end-users, you can stay up with the latest on the Setapp app store launch plans by signing up with your email here.
When will Apple have to allow third-party app stores?
There is a March 2024 deadline for companies like Apple to comply with the EU’s DMA legislation. However, expect Apple to further contest the interpretation of the law around app stores so it’s hard to know if and when the change might happen.
Check out more details on the DMA:
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