Apple’s Aggressively Strategic Revenue-Preserving Measures in Response to Supreme Court Ruling on Third-Party Payments Undermines the Spirt of the Law

If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court upheld a prior ruling in the much-discussed Apple vs. Epic games trial of 2021. The notable judgment influences Apple’s App Store policies, particularly concerning third-party payment options. Stemming from increased regulatory scrutiny targeting Apple’s monopolistic control over the iPhone’s software ecosystem, this was thought to represent a significant blow to Apple’s iron grip on the App Store’s marketplace, though not the complete win that Epic Games and others hoped for. The verdict arrives amidst a powerful challenge to Apple’s exclusive in-app purchase system — a policy earning Apple a 15-30% commission on all revenue generated through app transactions. We obtained a copy of the decision for you here. Apple’s system has long drawn criticism for its strict payment gating, barring developers from informing users about alternative payment options that could potentially save them money. This recent Apple vs. Epic games trial ruling has upended this policy. The court agreed that developers like Epic Games must be allowed to provide links to outside payment systems within their apps. However, this decision ran into a brief delay as Apple, in an effort to maintain its course, appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court. Rejecting Apple’s plea, the Supreme Court’s refusal fortifies the original decision. In the aftermath of this, apps can now educate their users about alternative payment methods, providing direct links to their websites. This arrangement was supposed…Apple’s Aggressively Strategic Revenue-Preserving Measures in Response to Supreme Court Ruling on Third-Party Payments Undermines the Spirt of the Law