Apple eases App Store rules again, to allow outside links for signups

The iPhone maker said late Wednesday that it's making a small adjustment to its strict App Store rules for developers of so-called reader apps, in order to resolve an investigation by regulators in Japan. Apple is relaxing rules to allow some app developers such as Spotify, Netflix and digital publishers to include an outside link so users can sign up for paid subscription accounts. One of the biggest complaints from app makers such as Spotify was about Apple's requirement that subscriptions only be bought through iPhone apps, allowing the company to take a commission of up to 30%. Last week Apple agreed as part of a preliminary U.S. legal settlement that app developers would no longer be forbidden from informing users by email about how to pay for services outside the app.