A US judge has ruled against Apple, banning the company from taxing or restricting external payment links in iOS apps, effective immediately. This victory for Epic Games and developers, part of a four-year legal battle, frees US App Store apps from Apple’s 30% in-app payment fees, shaking up the iPhone ecosystem.
Apple can no longer charge fees on external purchases
Apple can no longer charge fees like its 27-30% cut on external purchases, block developers from styling or placing payment links, or limit buttons and calls-to-action. The company is also barred from using scare tactics—such as warning pop-ups—to discourage users from leaving an app to make purchases elsewhere. Developers can now guide users to third-party payment sites with only neutral warnings, a win for Epic and Spotify, who’ve clashed with Apple over similar issues.
The ruling, tied to the Epic vs. Apple saga since 2020, wasn’t helped by Apple VP Alex Roman’s false testimony or CEO Tim Cook’s push to defy a 2021 ruling, despite Phil Schiller’s caution, per TechCrunch. Previously, Apple forced developers to use its payment system, pocketing 30% of in-app purchases and banning external links or hints of alternatives, later using scare tactics for external payments.
Apple, vowing to appeal while complying, faces a shift as developers like Epic and Spotify plan immediate app updates. The table below sums up the details. This could lower costs for users and boost developer profits, especially for free-to-play games like Fortnite, but only in the US for now. With Google’s Play Store facing similar scrutiny, the ruling might ripple across platforms. Will Apple’s appeal overturn this, or is this a new era for app freedom? Only time will tell.
Tech enthusiast? Get the latest news first! Follow our Telegram channel and subscribe to our free newsletter for your daily tech fix!
For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.
(Source)
Comments