Apple Issues New App Store Warning—Here’s What It Means

Apple has started placing warnings on its App Store, seemingly to try to persuade people not to use iOS apps that support alternative payment options.

First seen by Daring Fireball’s John Gruber and reported by esteemed tech site The Verge, Apples’ warning comes in the form of an exclamation point. The notice reads: “This app does not support the App Store’s private and secure payment system. It uses external purchases.”

Gruber saw the new Apple warning on a Hungarian app that checks the mileage and value of used cars, called Instacar. As The Verge points out, the app isn’t available in the U.S.—but it is among the top five apps in the Business category on the EU App Store and has thousands of positive reviews.

Taking this into account, Apple’s warning seems odd. The only gripe the iPhone maker seems to have with Instacar is that it uses an external payment system.

Apple Explains Its New App Store Warning

Apple explains its warning further in a support document:

“Apps that use alternative payment options do not use the App Store’s payment system for digital goods and services. To make a purchase in these apps, you will provide information and confirm your payment directly with the developer, either within the app or on a website linked from the app.

“If you create or manage your account on that website, or make any purchases using the developer’s payment system, you will not be using the App Store’s private and secure payment system for digital goods and services. Only purchases made through the App Store’s In-App Purchase system are secured by Apple.”

When you create an account on a developer’s external website, you may have to provide personal information, including payment information, directly to the developer or third party partners, Apple adds.

It warns that you will be trusting the developer, as well as any partners and payment providers they work with, to handle your information based on their privacy and security controls. “Apple is not responsible for the privacy or security of transaction made with this developer and cannot verify any pricing or promotions that are offered,” the iPhone maker adds.

I asked Apple for a comment on this article and will update it if the iPhone maker responds.

It comes as Apple gets in hot water with the European Commission for its approach to alternative app stores following the Digital Markets Act. The EC told the iPhone maker its complex fee system and overly strict eligibility requirements disincentivises developers.

So there you have it, like it or not, the Apple App Store warning is there for a reason, and it’s up to you to make the choice based on what the iPhone makers says and your own common sense.