US tech giant Apple has started to allow certain digital content distributors on its App Store worldwide to bypass commission payments by offering app users external settlement methods.

Apple announced on Wednesday that it has enabled the distributors to offer within their apps links to websites where users can create or manage accounts. The change applies to apps that offer content such as music and electronic books.

The arrangement allows distributors to avoid paying commissions to Apple, as app users can pay distributors directly.

The firm previously charged distributors up to 30 percent of their in-app sales and restricted the use of alternative purchase options.

Apple proposed the change last year after the Japan Fair Trade Commission launched an investigation into the firm's potential anti-trust violations.

Regulators around the world are viewing as problematic the way IT giants are limiting payment methods and collecting commissions from distributors.

Google has recently agreed to allow digital music service provider Spotify to offer users an alternative payment method.