According to MacRumors, Apple today shared a study from Analysis Group examining App Store pricing before and after the EU’s Digital Markets Act took effect in March 2024. The research analyzed 41 million transactions across 21,000 paid apps and found that 91% of prices didn’t decrease despite developers paying 10 percentage points less in commissions on average. Developers paid an estimated €20.1 million less in fees after the change, with more than 86% of those savings going to developers outside the European Union. When prices did drop, the average decrease was only 2.5% and appeared unrelated to the DMA. Apple argues the regulation has reduced privacy and security without delivering promised consumer benefits.
The DMA price reality check
Here’s the thing about expecting corporations to pass savings directly to consumers: it rarely works that way in practice. When Apple reduced its commission fees, developers basically faced a choice – pocket the extra revenue or compete on price. And guess what? Most chose to keep the money. The study shows the top five EU app developers didn’t change their pricing at all despite the reduced commission structure.
But wait – there’s an important caveat here. This study was commissioned by Apple and only looked at apps using Apple’s services. It didn’t include web distribution or alternative marketplace pricing, which are exactly the options the DMA was supposed to enable. So we’re only getting part of the picture here.
Apple’s EU struggle continues
Apple isn’t just complaining about pricing – they’re actively withholding features from EU users. Live Translation wasn’t available when AirPods Pro 3 launched in Europe, iPhone Mirroring remains unavailable, and automatic Wi-Fi network syncing is being disabled in iOS 26.2. Apple says these decisions are about protecting user privacy from DMA requirements that would give developers access to sensitive data.
So what’s really happening here? We’ve got Apple fighting regulation tooth and nail while simultaneously commissioning studies that support their position. And EU regulators insisting competition will benefit consumers. Meanwhile, developers are caught in the middle, and consumers aren’t seeing the price drops everyone promised.
The bigger picture for tech regulation
This situation raises serious questions about how effective regulatory interventions can be in complex digital markets. The DMA represents one of the most aggressive attempts to rein in Big Tech, but if the initial results hold up, it suggests that simply changing fee structures might not be enough to benefit end users.
What’s fascinating is that this mirrors what happened when Apple launched its Small Business Program – reduced fees didn’t translate to meaningful consumer savings then either. The pattern seems clear: when you give businesses more margin, they tend to keep it rather than passing it along. And honestly, can we really be surprised?
The full study is available from Apple for those who want to dig deeper into the methodology and data. But one thing’s certain – the battle between Apple and EU regulators is far from over, and the real test of the DMA’s effectiveness is just beginning.
