US EditionEpic win: Apple forced to give developers (almost) free reign to link out and avoid paying Apple's 30% cut
- Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers issued an injunction on April 30, 2025, forcing Apple to allow developers to link out of the US App Store without restrictions.
- The injunction follows a years-long legal battle after Epic Games sued Apple in 2020 over its 27-30% commission on in-app purchases and Apple’s failure to comply with a 2021 ruling.
- The ruling prohibits Apple from imposing any fee or limiting how developers format or place links to external payment methods, except allowing only a neutral message before redirecting users.
- Judge Rogers condemned Apple for persistently undermining competitive practices and criticized the company's selection of the most restrictive full-screen link alert design instead of opting for simpler alternatives.
- The injunction enables developers to avoid the Apple commission, prompting Epic Games to reintroduce Fortnite on iOS with direct purchases and launch webshops offering zero commission on the first $1 million in revenue.
36 Articles
36 Articles
So, That Apple Tax Thing That's Dead Now... What Was It, Again?
Apple Tax this, Apple Tax that. We’ve been hearing a lot about it over the last five years, and a whole lot about it over the past couple of days. It’s not the perceived premium that Apple charges for everything from ordering extra RAM on devices to overpriced iPhone cases to this ludicrous $19 polishing cloth, although that’d be a perfectly appropriate (if slightly misleading) use of the barb. The Apple Tax is what pissed-off app developers hav…
Epic is offering developers an alternative to Apple’s in-app purchases
Epic Games is making some big changes to its store to provide an enticing alternative to Apple’s in-app purchases for developers. The company is announcing the changes less than a day after a major court ruling that mandates that Apple can’t collect fees on purchases made outside of apps or restrict how they point to off-platform payments, meaning that more developers may choose to direct users to other payment options. Beginning in June, Epic s…
TechCrunch
RocketNewsEpic Games is launching webshops to allow developers to circumvent app store fees after new ruling
Epic Games is taking a victory lap. After notching a big win against Apple in a years-long legal dispute, Epic announced that its Epic Games Store will
Epic win: Apple forced to give developers (almost) free reign to link out and avoid paying Apple's 30% cut
Apple has just been handed perhaps the most bullet-proof injunction ever, affecting the App Store in the United States, as a result of the ongoing dispute between Apple and Epic Games. Apple has said it will appeal, but comply in the meantime — and the judgement explicitly spells out how to do so, with seemingly little wiggle room. There’s one small concession that app developers must conform to, but otherwise they get free reign … more…
Epic Games fires back at app store giants with bold new developer deal
Epic Games just raised the stakes in its fight against Apple and Google. Starting June 2025, Epic will offer developers a 0% revenue cut on the first $1 million in annual app sales through its store. After that, the standard 88/12 split kicks in. For small and mid-sized devs, that’s a huge upgrade over Apple’s and Google’s 15–30% cut. But Epic isn’t stopping there. It’s also introducing “webshops,” which let devs sell directly to players—outside…
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