Epic vs. Apple Ruling Reveals Latter Must Allow App Store to Direct Users to Third-Party Payment OptionsJudge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has handed down her ruling in the Epic Games vs. Apple case. She has issued a permanent injunction, stating that Apple must allow developers to redirect App Store users to other payment methods. The judge also states that Epic Games breached Apple’s App Store Contract and shall pay damages as a result.
“Apple Inc. and its officers, agents, servants, employees, and any person in active concert or participation with them (“Apple”), are hereby permanently restrained and enjoined from prohibiting developers from (i) including in their apps and their metadata buttons, external links,or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms, in addition to In-App Purchasing and (ii) communicating with customers through points of contact obtained voluntarily from customers through account registration within the app.”
Apple is expected to make an appeal of the decision, with the company earlier refusing to reinstate Fortnite to the App Store in South Korea if Epic Games did not comply with its guidelines. Judge Rogers had also ruled that Epic Games shall pay damages since it breached Apple’s App Store contact when it attempted to circumvent the commission requirement and tried to add a third-party payment option.