At the European Commission’s stakeholder workshop on the implementation of the Digital Markets Act’s app store-related provisions, Vicky Robertson discussed the legal provisions that may increase the choice available to business and end users in their interactions with app stores as distribution channels. She assessed the nature of software application stores as core platform services, the likely gatekeeper designation of two prominent app stores – Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store – and the provisions of Articles 5(4), 5(5) and 5(7) DMA. These will require app stores to allow app developers to steer end users away from the app store, and give app developers and users the freedom to choose whether or not to use the app store’s ancillary services, such as identification services or in-app payment systems. Further panel members included Vanessa Turner (BEUC), Karina Stan (Developers Alliance), Marianne Tordeux (France Digitale) and Gene Burrus (Spotify). Alberto Bacchiega (DG COMP) introduced the workshop, while Filomena Chirico (DG Connect) and Vlad Roman (DG COMP) moderated the panel. The recording can be accessed here: https://webcast.ec.europa.eu/dma-stakeholder-workshop-on-app-stores-23-03-06
