Apple Abandons 30% Fee on External Links

It's another day in the ongoing Epic vs Apple saga, which many thought had concluded long ago. However, recent developments suggest that Apple may soon be compelled to eliminate its controversial 30% commission on transactions made through links to alternative payment methods outside the App Store.

What does this mean for consumers? Simply put, Apple appears to be decisively on the losing side of the original Epic vs Apple case, which began when Epic Games' CEO, Tim Sweeney, allowed Fortnite players to make in-app purchases directly from Epic at a significant discount.

Previously, Apple had to remove fees and other restrictions on external linking within the European Union, but the rulings in the United States had been relatively favorable towards them. Now, however, Apple is barred from:

Charging fees on purchases made outside the app
Restricting how developers can format or place links
Limiting the use of 'calls to action' that inform users about potential savings
Excluding specific apps or developers
Using 'scare screens' to interfere with consumer choice
Anything other than neutral messaging when informing users they are navigating to a third-party site

In essence, while Epic may have lost a few battles, it seems to have won the war. Apple intends to appeal this decision, but overturning the rulings appears unlikely.

With the Epic Games Store for mobile already established on Android and iOS in the EU, and on Android in the US, it may only be a matter of time before the significance of the iOS App Store diminishes.