Even though Apple just reinstated Epic’s developer account in the European Union, there’s a lot more drama to come. In January, Apple announced changes to the App Store in the United States to give developers the option to link to alternative payment methods outside the App Store.
Epic is unhappy with Apple’s changes, which allow it to link to alternative payment options – but with a catch.
These changes announced in January came as the result of the US Supreme Court denying to hear Apple’s appeal in its legal battle with Epic Games. Per the outcome of that case, Apple was required to relax its anti-steering rules that previously prohibited developers from linking to alternative payment systems in their apps.
As part of its plan, however, Apple said it would still charge a commission on purchases made through alternative payment platforms. This commission is 12% for developers who are a member of the App Store Small Business Program and 27% for other apps.
As reported by Bloomberg, Epic complained to a federal court on Wednesday that Apple has not properly complied with the court order with these changes. Epic asked a federal judge to hold Apple in contempt of the court over hits “failure to properly comply with a court order to open its App Store to outside payment options.”
This news shouldn’t at all come as a surprise. Immediately after Apple announced these App Store changes in January, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney criticized Apple’s plans as “anticompetitive.”
Apple, meanwhile, believes that it is in full compliance with the requirements. In its statement of compliance in January, the company said:
As of January 16, 2024, Apple has fully complied with the Injunction: It is striking the relevant parts of the App Store Review Guidelines applicable to apps on the U.S. storefronts of the iOS and iPadOS App Stores and implementing new rules that permit developers to (i) include in their apps buttons or links with calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms in addition to IAP and (ii) communicate with customers through points of contact obtained voluntarily from customers through account registration within the app. As a result of these changes, developers have the option of informing consumers, both within and outside the app, about alternative purchase mechanisms in addition to IAP.
You can find Apple’s full statement of compliance from January embedded below:
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