Apple has partially relaxed a restriction on its App Store that prevented app developers from offering lower prices to customers through other channels, as it faces mounting legal and regulatory pressure over alleged anti-competitive behaviour.
While the move marked a concession that could allow some digital transactions to bypass its App Store, it did not include any changes to the iPhone maker’s rules for transactions inside applications themselves, limiting its effect.
The rule change was one of several compromises announced by Apple late on Thursday to partially settle a US class-action lawsuit from developers over its App Store rules.