What just happened? South korea just became the first state in the world to pass a police force preventing app store owners like Google and Apple from forcing developers to use their payment systems. The two tech giants in particular are facing increasing scrutiny over how much control they should take over their platforms, only this represents a significant new pace, as Ballsy Games' CEO has already pointed out.

What has been dubbed the "Anti-Google Police" in Southward Korea was originally passed in that country's parliament last week, simply the last vote went through yesterday. The bill will become law when signed by S Korea's president, whose party has already backed information technology.

According to a study from the Associated Press, the companies also tin can't punish apps that use alternate payment systems by imposing unreasonable delays in approving those apps. Due south Korean authorities can even investigate app store operators in lodge to ensure off-white competition.

In February, North Dakota proposed a police force similar to the one South Korea just passed, and the US Senate floated one in early August that would completely interruption downward walled gardens on app platforms.

Apple tree and Google each brand billions from the App Shop and Google Play Store, respectively, by getting a cut from app purchases and in-app purchases. Ordinarily they accept 30 percent, but both take enacted separate plans to reduce that cutting to fifteen per centum for many developers.

Epic Games caput Tim Sweeney has already hailed the law every bit a historic moment and a move towards open platforms. "Korea is first in open platforms," he wrote on Twitter. "Korea has rejected digital commerce monopolies and recognized open platforms equally a right."

Sweeney fifty-fifty went as far every bit to liken the event to the fall of the Berlin Wall. "Every bit President Kennedy said at the Berlin Wall in 1963, today all developers around the world can be proud to say: I am a Korean!"

"Google Play provides far more payment processing," Google said in a statement outlining everything that goes into developing and maintaining an operating system and app store. "And merely as it costs developers money to build an app, it costs us money to build and maintain an operating system and app store. We'll reflect on how to comply with this police while maintaining a model that supports a high-quality operating organisation and app store, and nosotros will share more in the coming weeks."

Apple recently settled a form action lawsuit by irresolute its app shop rules to allow developers to notify users of payment options other than Apple's, so long equally they notify users through methods exterior the apps, such as email. Apple also agreed to pay $100 million to small developers.

Image credit: Jin Sung-chul/Yonhap via AP