Apple released an updated Developer License Agreement on Wednesday that allows the company to recoup unpaid funds, such as commissions or other fees, by deducting them from in-app purchases it processes on behalf of developers, among other methods.
The change will impact developers in regions where local law allows them to connect to external payment systems. In these cases, developers must report these payments to Apple to pay any required commissions or fees.
The amended agreement apparently gives Apple a way to collect what it considers the correct fees if the company determines that a developer has underreported revenue.
Apple’s policies in this area are complex, but the change could impact developers in markets like the EU, US and, now, Japan, where developers using external payment systems may be required to pay Apple varying fees or commissions depending on local law. (In the United States, the legality of such commissions is still disputed. A federal appeals court ruled earlier this month that a district court should consider allowing Apple to collect some commission, but not the full 27% previously charged.)
In its new development agreement, Apple says it will “compensate or recover” what it believes it is owed, including “any amounts collected by Apple on your behalf from end users.” This means Apple could recoup funds from developers’ in-app purchases, such as those for digital goods, services and subscriptions, or one-time fees for paid apps.
Additionally, Apple notes that it has the right to collect this money “at any time” and “from time to time,” meaning developers could face surprise deductions if Apple believes it miscalculated what they owe.
The agreement does not specify how Apple will determine whether it is owed money.
The types of developer payments that vary over time are limited and include commissions, fees, and taxes. Among these is the Core Technology Fee (CTF) in the EU, which currently costs €0.50 for each annual first installation exceeding one million in the last 12 months. In January 2026, Apple will move from CTF to a new fee, called Core Technology Commission (CTC), a more complex percentage-based fee. Apple will collect CTC from apps that use external payment methods or are distributed under its EU Alternative Commercial Terms.
The updated developer agreement also gives Apple the right to collect unpaid amounts from any “affiliate, parent company or subsidiary” linked to the account that owes money. In practical terms, this means that Apple could collect money from developers’ other apps or from apps published by a parent company.
These changes are detailed in Annexes 2 and 3, section 3.4, which focuses on the delivery of applications to end users.
These are not the only changes to the agreement. Apple is also introducing sections dedicated to its age insurance technology, new terms for iOS apps in Japan and other requirements.
Interestingly, Apple sets requirements for voice assistants (like AI chatbots) that are activated via the iPhone’s side button and prohibits recordings made without the user’s knowledge. This includes audio and video recordings, as well as screen recordings, which are often used by developers to identify problems users face while navigating apps or to locate bugs.
To be clear, Apple is not banning these recordings outright. The company simply adds wording that says: “Your application cannot be designed to facilitate recordings by others without their knowledge.” » It remains to be seen how Apple will interpret this rule.
Apple did not respond to a request for comment before publication.
