Apple reforms App Store rules to allow third-party payment methods in the U.S. but wi

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The U.S. Supreme Court rejected appeals from Epic Games and Apple in the antitrust case between the two companies. What does this mean for users and app developers?

The feud between the two companies began in 2020, when Apple ousted Fortnite from the App store after it had found that the game used a third-party payment method for in-app purchases instead of its own payment system. Apple argued that Epic Games had violated its license agreement, which forbids third-party payment mechanisms.

Epic cried foul and sued Apple in an antitrust case. The decision from the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Apple's favor. Epic lost 9 out of 10 claims when the ruling was upheld by the Court in April 2023, but Apple was found guilty of violating California's Unfair Competition Laws. Apple's anti-steering policy for preventing third-party payment options in apps was deemed unfair, and the Court issued a nationwide injunction by directing the company to adjust its policy and allow app developers to display buttons and links to third-party payment methods in their apps.

U.S. Supreme Court refuses to hear Epic Games v Apple antitrust case

Both Apple and Epic Games were displeased by the ruling and filed claims in the U.S. Supreme Court. Apple was granted a temporary reprieve in August 2023, when the Supreme Court allowed it to keep its App Store rules temporarily, until it heard the case. However, the Supreme Court turned down the appeals filed by the parties by refusing to hear the case, and thus upheld the previous ruling. This means that Apple has to comply with the law and adjust the App Store policies.  Epic's loss stands in stark in contrast to its impressive win against Google's Play Store's nearly similar anticompetitive policies.
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