Apple Inc., the trillion dollar tech giant headquartered in Cupertino, California, just announced some of the biggest changes to App Store policies to date. This decision follows on the heels of a recent court ruling forcing the company to permit developers to redirect users to their own websites for digital purchases. In another sign of shifting tides, a U.S. court ruled mostly in favor of Epic Games. Now, its successor Apple needs to make these practices possible and lift its previous restrictive policies.
In 2021, Apple faced a battle on its app store monopoly front from Epic Games. Epic said that Apple’s App Store policies restrict competition by preventing developers from offering their own payment systems. Without that court decision, Apple still could have continued business as usual. They had to get rid of the “scare screens” that scared users away from clicking on external links.
In a blog post responding to the injunction, Apple apologized for the ruling. The company stated, “We strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court’s order and we will appeal.” Even so, Apple has recognized that it must respond to this new legal reality.
The new policy gives developers more freedom to implement features that direct users to their own websites to make digital purchases. This move protects them from Apple’s 30% cut on transactions processed through the App Store. Notably, this change is a big step in the opposite direction from where Apple used to stand, as these types of practices were once explicitly banned.
“The App Review Guidelines have been updated for compliance with a United States court decision regarding buttons, external links, and other calls to action in apps.” – Apple
The implications of this ruling go beyond Epic Games. Various developers who create applications for iOS will now have increased flexibility in handling payment options, potentially impacting Apple’s revenue model. The social media platform has changed its policies. These were replaced with general requirements for external link presentation that no one had to care about before.
Ivan, a former tech reporter for TechCrunch India, is in the forefront of covering global consumer technology trends. He’s been following the latest developments in the continued story of Apple vs. Epic Games. For background on the court decision that forced Apple to change its app store rules, see our earlier reporting at TechCrunch.
We can be sure that Apple will strongly oppose any such changes. Nonetheless, they represent an important inflection point for app developers seeking more agency over the money they earn. The app company’s traditional, historical dominance in the app marketplace is coming under new scrutiny, as the company and industry wrestle with evolving legal mandates and requirements.
