Apple is once again testing the boundaries of regulatory compliance, this time in the European Union. The company is facing scrutiny under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) regarding its implementation of alternative payment systems within iPhone applications.
Despite EU law compelling Apple to allow these systems in the EU App Store, the company has introduced a new warning on such apps.
This move comes after Apple was already fined $570 million for anticompetitive practices under the DMA, a decision it is currently appealing. Many view this new warning as a deliberate tactic designed to steer users away from third-party payments. Adding these warnings appears to be a calculated risk, potentially inviting further scrutiny and fines from EU regulators.
The warning now appears in App Store listings for apps that incorporate their own payment processes instead of relying on Apple’s system. It prominently uses Apple’s highest-level caution symbol – an exclamation mark within a triangle.
According to Apple’s own developer documentation, this symbol is typically reserved for critical situations requiring extra attention, such as the risk of unexpected data loss. Applying it to the mere use of a third-party payment processor like Stripe or PayPal seems a clear misapplication of Apple’s own guidelines. This diminishes the symbol’s intended significance.
While Apple might argue it’s adhering to technical placement rules by putting the warning in the listing, the intent to dissuade users from alternative payment systems is unmistakable. This tactic bears a striking resemblance to “scare screens” Apple was explicitly forbidden from using in the US following its legal battle with Epic Games over App Store regulations.
Although the EU has not yet issued a specific ruling banning this particular method, rivals like Epic Games had already alerted regulators to Apple’s plans back in March 2024. Furthermore, the EU’s April 2025 ruling explicitly ordered Apple to remove technical and commercial restrictions on “steering,” which includes any conduct with an “equivalent object or effect” that perpetuates non-compliance.
Developers and observers have highlighted how Apple is leveraging its most severe warning level for a situation that does not warrant it based on its own defined severity tiers. While some might argue Apple is simply informing users about the difference or highlighting the perceived security and privacy benefits of its own system, critics counter that this borders on spreading fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD). They point out that many third-party payment systems are widely considered secure.
Apple’s history of fiercely protecting its App Store revenue, combined with past instances where its resistance to regulatory changes was described as “insubordination,” provides context for this action.
This current move in the EU App Store appears to be another attempt to push regulatory boundaries as far as possible rather than genuinely compete on the merits of its service. The ongoing focus on compliance and anti-competition continues to define Apple’s relationship with global tech laws like the DMA.
