Apple does not have to allow app developers to point out to users that they can take out cheaper subscriptions outside the App Store for the time being. The California court ruled in september that Apple must change the rules of the App Store to allow that, but a higher court has now ruled that it does not have to do so as long as the appeal is pending.
Apple will now receive a maximum of 30 percent of the purchase price for purchases in the App Store. Developers therefore often offer cheaper plans on their own websites, but they are not allowed to advertise this according to the rules of the App Store. Apple makes a lot of money from this rule. In the US alone, Apple’s commission brought in about $6.3 billion last year.
Fortnite
Epic Games, the creator of the popular game Fortnite, however, has set up its own payment system in its own app, contrary to those rules. That was the start of a fierce legal battle between the two companies, with Apple Fortnite from the App Store has thrown and the judge finally in september ordered Apple to allow the offering of online purchases outside of the App Store by today.
Apple is against that ruling appeal gone. The tech giant then also asked the judge to postpone the adjustment of the rules until that appeal has been served. That request has now been granted.
It is expected that the appeal will be a protracted lawsuit. This would therefore mean that actively offering payment systems outside the App Store will remain prohibited for a long time to come.
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