Apple decided to settle the class action lawsuit filed by US app developers by changing the App Store rules governing, inter alia, how app developers are allowed to communicate with their customers.
As part of the settlement, developers will be able to promote the use of third-party payment platforms from which Apple does not receive any royalties. This issue was at the heart of the lawsuit between Apple and Epic Games. The Fortnite developer has begun promoting its own in-app payment service, which has reduced the price of in-game content because developers do not pay Apple’s 30 percent commission in a third-party store. Epic violated the terms of its agreement with Apple, which resulted in Fortnite being removed from the App Store.
While Apple will now allow developers to tell their users how to make payments outside of the App Store, these messages are still prohibited from appearing inside the app in question. Apple says “Developers can use communication tools such as email to share payment information outside of their iOS app.”
Apple also said that with the settlement agreement, App Store search results will no longer prioritize certain developers and apps. While the current search algorithms and protocols will remain the same for the next three years, ultimately “search results will continue to be based on objective metrics such as downloads, star ratings, text relevance, and user behavior signals.” Earlier this year, emails released during Epic’s lawsuit against Apple hinted that Apple was manipulating App Store search results in favor of its own apps.
From the start, the App Store has been an economic miracle; it is the safest and most reliable place for users to get apps and incredible business opportunities, innovate, thrive and grow. We would like to thank the developers who worked with us to achieve these agreements in support of the App Store’s goals and for the benefit of all of our users.
Apple VP of Marketing Philip W. Schiller
The class action lawsuit was signed by 67,000 developers. If the judge signs the settlement, most of the plaintiffs will receive a $ 250 payment from Apple, while 6% will be entitled to a $ 2,000 check. 1% of developers will receive up to $ 30,000.
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