After the U.S. Supreme Court announced its refusal to hear appeals from Apple and Epic Games over its antitrust case, the iPhone maker has updated its App Store policies to allow U.S.-based developers to link to alternative payment options.
Spotted by 9to5Mac, Apple's new guidelines let developers "provide a link in their app to a website the developer owns or maintains responsibility for in order to purchase such items." Developers who want to link to outside payment options must apply for an "entitlement."
Additionally, developers won't be able to offer an outside payment option exclusively, as Apple's guidelines require that Apple's in-app purchase system is still available inside a developer's app. Apple will still take a cut of the profits; however, the company will take 27% (instead of 30%).
A quick summary of glaring problems we've found so far:
— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) January 16, 2024
1) Apple has introduced an anticompetitive new 27% tax on web purchases. Apple has never done this before, and it kills price competition. Developers can't offer digital items more cheaply on the web after paying a… pic.twitter.com/YkHuapG7xa
Tim Sweeney, the founder and CEO of Epic Games, wrote on X/Twitter that he is not thrilled with Apple's revisions to its App Store, noting that the 27% cut Apple takes is "anticompetitive." Sweeney said Epic will "contest Apple's bad-faith compliance plan in District Court."
Apple and Epic Games' legal feud began in 2020, but the United States District Court for the Northern District of California ruled in 2021 that Apple is not considered a monopoly. The ruling was appealed, but the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the lower court's decision last year.
Much of Epic's dispute with Apple revolves around the monetisation of Fortnite on iOS, where the all-conquering battle royale has been absent for some time. However, there is renewed hope Fortnite may return to iOS in Europe in the near future. The EU’s Digital Markets Act antitrust legislation passed last year forces Apple to let users install third-party apps from outside the iOS App Store in a process called 'sideloading'. Epic may use this sideloading feature, once it's available, to return Fortnite to iOS devices in the European continent.
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
