Apple Vs Epic Games: iPhone app developers granted access to alternative payments amid legal battle

livemint.com:

the US Supreme Court declined to hear appeals from both Apple and Epic Games, effectively affirming a lower court ruling that favored Apple. Epic Games initiated the legal dispute in 2020, aiming to challenge Apple's control over the App Store, alleging the tech giant's monopoly practices. Central to the controversy was Apple's practice of charging up to 30 percent on all financial transactions within its app store, leading to accusations of an unjust "tax" on companies utilizing the platform.

While the federal court in San Francisco largely rejected Epic's lawsuit, it did concede that apps could inform users of alternative payment methods outside of Apple's ecosystem. With the legal saga seemingly concluded after the Supreme Court's decision, Apple presented a plan to comply with the lower court's ruling, permitting developers to use external payment systems through buttons or links within apps. However, Apple stated it would still levy a 27 percent fee on transactions made using payment systems other than its own.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney expressed dissatisfaction with Apple's proposed compliance, labeling it "bad-faith" and arguing that the imposed fee stifles price competition. The dispute highlights the ongoing tension between tech giants and app developers over control and fees within app ecosystems. Apple's filing also outlined a requirement for developers to qualify for "link entitlement" privileges, which could be revoked if they fail to adhere to Apple's rules.