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Apple Must Allow Apps To Steer Customers to Alternative Payment Methods, Rules Federal Judge

Sep 10, 2021, 11:44 AM by Rich Brome

A US Federal Judge has ruled that Apple must allow app developers to "steer" customers away from Apple's App Store payment service, which collects a fee of up to 30%. The ruling was part of Fortnite maker Epic Games' lawsuit against Apple for anti-competitive behavior. The case did not completely go Epic's way; the court did not find that Apple's App Store constituted a monopoly, as Epic claimed. "Nonetheless, the trial did show that Apple is engaging in anticompetitive conduct under California's competition laws," according to the decision. "The Court concludes that Apple’s anti-steering provisions hide critical information from consumers and illegally stifle consumer choice." Apple recently announced plans to allow specific "reader" apps to steer customers to third-party payments in response to an investigation by the Japanese government. But this new US ruling could force Apple to open up third-party payments for all apps. Apple does have the option to appeal the decision.

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BLUESURF77450

Sep 11, 2021, 8:42 AM

A long time coming.

It has taken over a decade to get something done. This is why I miss android so much. All the great apps are not allowed to be put in my phone! Who says....Apple does, They took 1300 for my phones and I can only get the crap they allow mw to have. I was serious to return to the Pixel 6 Pro. Now that the door is open I see many more law suits against Apple and rightfully so. At the end Apple will sell many more phones.

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