Today, the US Senate introduced a new bill protecting developers' rights and challenging Apple and Google's current app store policies.
As spotted first by CNBC, the Open App Markets Act would ban app stores from mandating that developers use their own store's payment systems. This means developers would have the freedom to use their own payment systems. The proposed legislation would also forbid companies from reprimanding developers that offer more competitive pricing on a different app store or through a developer's own payment system.
If it sounds familiar, both Apple and Google are currently in a lawsuit with Fortnite developer Epic Games, which challenged both tech giant's app store models. Last August, Apple and Google removed the popular battle royale game from its digital storefronts after Epic added a direct payment mechanism into Fortnite.
If the bill was to be passed, it would allow developers like Fortnite to offer more affordable items to purchase via microtransactions. This is something Epic Games tried to do in August when it made its virtual currency, V-Bucks more affordable if you purchased it directly through the Fortnite app.
The Epic Games vs. Apple case was argued in May, and a federal judge is currently reviewing the case to determine whether Apple's app store policies violated antitrust law. Similar legal action was taken against Google in July when 36 states plus the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit regarding the company's app store model.
This is not the first time the Senate has come after Apple and Google's app store policies; in April, the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights asked representatives from companies including Spotify and Tile to elaborate on how both Apple and Google's app store impact its businesses.
Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.