Apple has revamped its app store policies in the European Union with hopes of fending off escalating fines under the 27-nation bloc's digital competition regulations. It's a last-minute bid by the iPhone maker to avoid further charges following a 500 million euro ($585 million) penalty in April.

Among other new allowances, EU-based app developers can now promote and link to offers for digital goods and services outside their app.

Apple on Thursday changed rules and fees in its App Store in the European Union after the bloc's antitrust regulators ordered it to remove commercial barriers to sending customers outside the store.