Apple has been embroiled in a lengthy legal battle with Epic Games. Last year, the company was forced to amend its App Store policies in the US, allowing third-party payment options for app purchases. However, developers were still required to pay up to 27% in commissions to display alternative payment links. This has now changed, as a US federal judge has ordered Apple to cease collecting commissions on purchases made outside the App Store.
In an 80-page ruling [PDF], Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers of the US Northern District of California determined that Apple violated its 2021 injunction, which mandated the company to allow developers to incorporate third-party payment solutions through in-app links. As a result, Apple has been instructed to immediately halt the collection of commissions for off-App Store purchases.
The judge also ruled that Apple cannot prevent developers from directly communicating with users about alternative payment methods. As a result, Apple must refrain from introducing new types of commissions or fees for purchases made outside the App Store. Additionally, the company has been ordered to cover the full cost of Epic’s legal fees through May 2025.
What Apple Needs to Do
In summary, the court has directed Apple to permanently stop:
- Charging any commission or fees on purchases made by consumers outside of an app. As a result, there is no justification for Apple to audit, monitor, track, or require developers to report any consumer activity or purchases that occur outside the app.
- Restricting or placing conditions on developers regarding the style, language, formatting, quantity, flow, or placement of links related to purchases made outside an app.
- Prohibiting or limiting the use of buttons or other calls to action, or otherwise imposing conditions on their content, style, language, formatting, flow, or placement for external purchases.
- Excluding specific categories of apps or developers from access to external payment links.
- Influencing user decisions to leave or stay within an app by using anything other than a neutral message informing them they are being redirected to a third-party site.
- Restricting developers from using dynamic links that direct users to a specific product page in a logged-in state, including limitations on passing product details, user information, or any data indicating the user’s intent to make a purchase.
In an official statement, Apple said, “We strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court’s order, and we will appeal.” This latest ruling is expected to empower developers to introduce alternative payment options within their apps. It also offers users a potential benefit—lower prices—since developers are no longer burdened by Apple’s commission fees.
How do you feel about the recent court ruling against Apple? Do you believe stopping App Store commission collection is a fair move? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
