Apple has officially lodged an appeal against a recent court ruling that mandates the company to permit alternative payment methods within its App Store. This action follows Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers’ criticism of Apple for not complying with the court’s orders, particularly in its ongoing dispute with Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite. The judge pointed out Apple’s reluctance to allow developers to connect to payment options outside of the App Store.
Apple previously believed it was adhering to legal standards through its requirement for developers to request an entitlement—a special exemption from App Store regulations—while enforcing a 27% commission on purchases made externally. Furthermore, Apple insisted on displaying warning messages, or “scare screens”, to consumers cautioning them about the risks of in-app purchases conducted through developers’ websites.
In her ruling, Judge Rogers emphasised that the injunction issued was non-negotiable and took issue with Apple’s attempts to circumvent the order through stringent rules. The court also accused Apple’s Vice President of Finance, Alex Roman, of perjury and has referred the case for potential criminal contempt proceedings.
After the ruling, Apple swiftly adjusted its App Store guidelines for developers in the U.S. and began accepting app updates that mentioned alternative payment methods, such as those from Spotify. Nevertheless, the tech giant expressed its disagreement with the ruling and reaffirmed its intent to appeal.
Apple filed its notice of appeal on Monday, indicating a steadfast commitment to contest the decision as the legal process unfolds. Despite this, the company confirmed it would continue to comply with the court’s directive in the interim.
Should Apple recognise the uphill battle ahead, it might consider strategies to retain developers, possibly unveiling a reduced commission rate during its upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference in June, targeting all developers rather than just those within its Small Business Program.
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