Epic files for injunction against 2021 US court ruling on iOS alternative in-app payments

In the latest round of the Apple - Epic Games fiasco, the game studio has filed for a new legal injunction against the 2021 US Northern District of California ruling which awarded Apple victory but forced it to allow alternative in-app payment methods in the US. While Apple won the antitrust lawsuit and was forced to open up to alternative in-app payment methods it still charges a 27% commission on each payment made to developers outside of the App Store and 12% for developers part of the App Store Small Business Program.

Epic’s new claim argues that on paper, developers should be able to bypass Apple’s 30% cut on in-app payments with their alternative in-app payment systems and is asking Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers to enforce her order. Epic argues that developers are still paying virtually the same fees on payments made outside the App Store which violates the court ruling.

In addition, Apple is forcing developers to use a “Plain Button Style” for links pointing to external payments which aren’t actual buttons and violate the court ruling as developers cannot point customers to alternative payments.

Epic also lists multi-platform apps like Minecraft which are not allowed to show external payment links and claims that Apple is trying to prevent alternative payments by constraining and bending its App Store policies. We’ll make sure to update you with more details on the Epic – Apple legal battle as they emerge.

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