In the latest ruling in the Apple-versus-Epic case, the iPhone-maker has to change how external payments work in the App Store.
Apple Can’t Ask for 27% Commission when Apps Link to External Sources of Payment, According to Latest Epic Win
The internet is doing a deep dive into what’s happening between Apple and Epic, but I’m going to try and keep things as simple as possible.
Back in 2021, Epic scored a win against Apple in which developers were allowed to link to external sources on the web for payment, completely bypassing the App Store and its commission.
In 2024, Apple implemented a mechanism that allowed developers to do exactly that, but Apple asked for a 27% commission on every single transaction made outside the App Store in a 7-day period.
Not only that, Apple also asked developers to put up a message in their app that they are going to an external source for payment, and if something goes wrong, Apple will not be held responsible.
Epic appealed against this too, and yesterday it won.
The judge said Apple did not implement the changes fairly and the move was anti-competitive. Now, Apple can’t charge the 27% fee and it cannot ask developers to put up a very specific warning sheet when they are about to leave the app to make a purchase externally.
In short, developers can now completely bypass Apple’s commission and do whatever they like externally.
Apple has said that it will comply with the court order but will also appeal against the verdict.
You can read the entire order by going to this link.
The thing I find funny is how developers accuse Apple of being greedy when they ask for a commission without realizing developers get access to an entire customer base through the App Store.
Secondly, not paying commission at all and keeping every bit of earnings to yourself is the finest form of greed I’ve seen.
The best form of retaliation would have been this; create an entirely new platform and show Apple how it’s done, no commission or anything.
Interestingly enough, even the Epic Games charges a 12% commission on everything sold through its store.
