Apple occurs in appeal for the case against Epic Games, decided in September in the first instance. If the injunction passes, Apple could postpone the possibility of inserting external links for payment in the App Store until the end of the process. This would assure you of maintain the percentage of income from 15% to 30% for all in-app purchases for iPhone and iPad.
Apple appeals in case against Epic
Last month, the American federal judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers had established the ruling of the Apple case against Epic Games. The manufacturer of Fortnite had accused Apple of monopolistically treating the App Store, preventing the use of purchasing systems other than the Apple’s internal one. Guaranteeing 15% to 30% of the revenue for each in-app purchase on iPhone and iPad.
Apple’s lawyers had declared the closure of the case a “huge success”. Apple had won nine of the ten counts and the judge acknowledged that Cupertino does not exercise a monopoly, the most feared charge. But it also mandated that Apple allow developers of apps like Epic’s insert a link on the application page on the App Store for i external payments.
To avoid losing payment receipts, Apple decided to appeal last Friday. A judge will have to decide if the Apple has the basis to proceed with the appeal (which works differently from the Italian one) a November. If there were the grounds for a new judgment, the injunction of Judge Gonzalez Rogers would be suspended, which otherwise would become active the December 9.
According to the group’s lawyers, Apple could also avoid going to trial by finding alternative solutions with the judges. We will keep you informed of the outcome of this decision. Epic also appealed to another charge, which requires Apple to pay damages for breaking the App Store user agreement (which the judge also asked to change).
In short, it seems that the Apple vs Epic case is not over yet: see you at the next episode.