Many popular apps are free to download, but are designed to tempt users to pay for in-game enhancements, often allowing for quicker progression. The Commission is now forcing Apple and Google, the biggest vendors of apps, to make the "true cost" of games clear. But it singled out Apple for not making a commitment to change.
"Regrettably, no concrete and immediate solutions have been made by Apple to date to address the concerns linked in particular to payment authorisation," the Commission said in a statement. "Apple has proposed to address those concerns. However, no firm commitment and no timing have been provided for the implementation of such possible future changes.
"CPC [consumer protection co-operation] authorities will continue to engage with Apple to ensure that it provides specific details of changes required and put its practices into line with the common position." The Commission said national authorities had the option to take legal action against companies that were deemed not to be complying with Europe’s guidance on free apps.