Dutch regulators will meet with dating software developers to evaluate Apple's third-party payment options

According to MacRumors, the Dutch regulator, the Consumer and Market Authority (ACM), plans to evaluate Apple's announced plans to allow dating apps on the country's App Store to use third-party payment methods, ensuring those plans "meet" the requirements of a previous ruling.

Over the weekend, Apple announced that it would specifically allow dating apps on the Dutch App Store to make in-app purchases using third-party payment methods. This rule change is the first for Apple, which previously required all developers around the world to use their own systems for all in-app purchases.

Before Apple made concessions, the ACM ruled in December that Apple was "abusing market power" by restricting dating apps to third-party payment methods. The ACM threatens to face fines of up to 50 million euros per week if Apple does not change its policies.

Now that Apple has announced some changes, according to a press release, ACM wants to assess whether those changes meet the requirements of its previous ruling. As part of investigating the changes, ACM will meet with dating app software developers, such as The Match Group, which owns Tinder, to ensure that Apple's changes adequately address concerns.

While Apple will allow dating apps in the Netherlands to use third-party payment methods, there are some caveats to these concessions. Importantly, Apple will continue to charge a commission for purchases even outside the App Store's in-app purchase system, although Apple has not yet revealed what that commission rate is.

If developers choose to offer additional in-app purchase options, they will also be required to keep separate app binaries for release in the Netherlands.

From a user experience perspective, Apple warns that by using third-party payment methods, the experience of requesting refunds, managing subscriptions, viewing purchase history, and so on will become very complicated.

Because Apple does not have direct knowledge of purchases made using alternative methods, Apple will not be able to assist users with refunds, purchase history, subscription management, and other issues encountered when purchasing digital goods and services through these alternative purchase methods. You will be responsible for resolving such issues with your customers.

Apple said it plans to appeal the ACM ruling and expressed concern that the order "could harm the user experience and pose new threats to user privacy and data security."