Apple Abandons 30% Fee on External Links

In the latest development of the ongoing Epic vs Apple saga, a major ruling may force Apple to eliminate its controversial 30% commission on payments made outside the App Store. This ruling is a significant blow to Apple, which had previously been required to remove similar fees and restrictions on outside linking within the European Union, but had enjoyed a more favorable stance in the United States.

What does this mean for consumers and developers? For starters, Apple can no longer impose fees on purchases made outside of apps, nor can they restrict developers' use of links or 'calls to action' that encourage users to make purchases elsewhere. Additionally, Apple must cease using 'scare screens'—messages that might deter users from leaving the App Store—and instead use neutral messaging to inform users they are navigating to a third-party site. This ruling essentially means that while Epic Games may have lost some individual battles, they've largely won the war against Apple's restrictive policies.

Apple has announced plans to appeal the decision, but overturning the judges' rulings seems unlikely. With the Epic Games Store now established on Android and iOS in the EU, and on Android in the US, the importance of the iOS App Store could diminish over time.