Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, in charge of the Epic Games v Apple case in the Northern District of California, has ordered the Apple brand to stop banning third-party developers from offering their own payment systems. The move, which is expected to take effect in 90 days, puts Apple’s 30% commission on sales of items and app and game subscriptions for iPhone, iPad and other devices at risk.
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- Decision orders manufacturer to allow use of external links for in-app purchases
- Apple has until early December to comply with the first-instance ruling
- The company can appeal to higher courts
Despite Epic Games’ apparent victory, the judge also ruled that the publisher’s argument – that Apple’s practices violate local antitrust laws – was inadmissible. is unfounded, and that the creator of Fortnite violated its contract with the App Store by offering an alternative method for in-game payments for iPhone and iPad. With this judgment, Epic Games was ordered to pay reparations to Apple.
Getting back to the smartphone giant, the decision – published in a document byone page– orders Apple not to ban app developers from including external links, buttons and other purchasing mechanisms outside of the company’s ecosystem. A decision similar to the bill being passed in South Korea, which in the case of the Asian country also applies to other stores and app services.
The 90-day deadline ends on December 9, but Apple can appeal the decision to higher courts in the United States.
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