A U.S. court has rejected Apple’s attempt to delay a previous ruling that stops the company from collecting fees on payments made outside the App Store via in-app links. This decision means Apple can no longer charge developers a commission when users are redirected from an app to an external site to complete a purchase, potentially impacting Apple’s revenue.
In the court document, the judges noted that “Apple must prove that a stay is justified.” Still, after evaluating the circumstances, they concluded that postponing the enforcement of the ruling wasn’t warranted.
Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, welcomed the outcome, celebrating the end of what he called the “Apple tax” in a post on X.
The legal battle stems from an earlier ruling in April by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who found Apple in “willful violation” of a 2021 injunction. That ruling required Apple to stop restricting developers from linking to external payment options, labeling the restrictions as anti-competitive.
Following that decision, Apple quickly filed an emergency motion requesting a delay and also submitted an appeal. However, the court has now declined the request to pause the ruling.
Although Apple had previously allowed certain apps to direct users to outside payment options, it still imposed a 27% service fee and displayed warnings critics described as discouraging. The new court ruling puts an end to both practices.
Major platforms like Spotify and Amazon have already begun updating their apps to allow external payments for subscriptions and purchases.
This development comes just ahead of Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) next week. Earlier this week, Apple reported generating $1.3 trillion in billings and sales in 2024, with 90% of those not subject to App Store commission, making this court decision particularly timely and impactful.
