Apple appeared to drop a bombshell Thursday morning in saying it would comply with a new European law by offering to lower its App Store commissions to 20% from 30% and dropping other longtime restrictions, including its prohibition on alternative app stores. Apple also opened up the iPhone chip used for Apple Pay to banks and other developers to launch contactless payments at cash registers.

At the same time, though, Apple said it would introduce a new flat fee for large developers, based on the volume of app installs, that would impose particularly big costs on alternative app stores. Apples loudest critics seized on these provisions to assail the companys plans.