Time turn in the App Store: What Apple is allowed to do according to the US judgment-and what is not

The hard judgment against Apple’s app store regulations, which had been issued in the United States in the process between Apple and Epic Games last week, ensures larger renovation measures in the software shop. Apple is no longer allowed to apply some of its measures carried out with prohibitions and app review investigations and thus ensures movement in the app market. The first major providers have reacted. So now Spotify has one New US app version submitted And already approved, which redirect the payments for premium subscriptions to the web without Apple receiving a commission. It is a “victory for consumers, artists, creatives and authors”. “After almost a decade, we are finally allowed to show clear price information freely and to link it for sale,” said the music streaming market leader.

The List of thingsthe Apple must now change (or may no longer be implemented) is surprisingly long. The responsible judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers had also accused an Apple manager of liberating in earlier meetings. In addition, Apple violates an “anti-steering regulation” issued in 2021, which was already prohibited from the company at that time to rule out competitors.

Six central new rules and bans

A total of six central arrangements are issued in the so -called contempt order by judge Rogers against Apple. In this way, the group can no longer prescribe app developers in a form, such as Links to payment on the web Have to look or place – also as far as their number is concerned, have a free hand. Apple will have to left in the future In every form of app Allow, there are no more exceptions. Apple is allowed on payments outside of an app (off-app playment) no commission raise, also do not monitor them or request from developers, To publish information about this (or any other form of use outside the app).

Even buttons or so-called call-to-actions must not be restricted-developers can implement what they want to link to the web, including the Priority expiry is not prescribed. Finally Apple is allowed No “Scare Screens” In the case of forwarding on the web, but only formulate neutral that now paid outside the app (“third party site”). Apple must also allow developers Dynamic links to their offers set. The latter enables different prices to be offered depending on the type of user (or its use). Previously, Apple only allowed static sides here.

Epic brings back “Fortnite”, builds web shops

In addition to Spotify, Epic Games, who had triggered the case as mentioned, also reacted to the judgment. So you will soon bring “Fortnite” back to the App Store in the USA (including direct shopping links on the web) and want to help developers with your own offers to implement the new regulations. So are so -called Epic Games Store web shops Planned with which Developer can use the payment infrastructure of the game group for a fee ($ 12 percent from $ 1 million).

Epic Games against Apple had already started in 2020 after Apple Epic Games closed in the App Store. The reason for this was made weighers to pay offers within “Fortnite”. In 2021, Epic Games then partially won and said anti-steering regulation was issued. Apple reacted with a reduced commission to web purchases-27 instead of 30 percent. There are said to have been internal concerns about this fee.