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After years of requiring iOS developers to accept payments exclusively through Apple, the company is updating its App Store policies to allow developers to link to alternative payment methods, as long as the app also allows users to make purchases through Apple’s in-app purchasing system.
The change is in response to the US Supreme Court refusing to hear Apple’s appeal in its battle with Epic Games, 9to5Mac reports. In September 2021, a US District judge ruled that Apple was violating California’s Unfair Competition Law by not allowing developers to link to third-party payment options within their apps.
The link to the third-party payment option can only be displayed on one app page that the user navigates to rather than a pop-up or interstitial "in a single, dedicated location on such page, and may not persist beyond that page.”
Despite previous reports that developers might be able to circumvent Apple’s commission by accepting third-party payments, Apple will still be charging developers a commission on purchases made through the alternative payment platforms. Developers who are part of the App Store’s Small Business Program will pay 12%, while other apps will pay a 27% commission.
The commission also applies to “purchases made within seven days after a user taps on an External Purchase Link and continues from the system disclosure sheet to an external website.”
Epic Games Founder and CEO Tim Sweeney has already spoken out about the update claiming that the 27% fee “kills price competition.” He says “Epic will contest Apple's bad-faith compliance plan in District Court.”