The Cupertino tech giant has suffered another setback in its legal battle with the creators of Fortnite. A U.S. appeals court has rejected Apple’s recent request for a rehearing in the case concerning disputed App Store commissions.
Reports indicate that the judicial panel made this decision unanimously. This means the corporation has irrevocably lost its chance to quickly overturn the unfavorable December ruling on this critical issue.
This represents a significant blow for the iPhone manufacturer. The upheld injunction definitively prohibits the company from blocking external links. Every developer retains the full right to inform their customers about more affordable alternative payment methods outside of Apple’s ecosystem.
The financial struggle continues. According to previous agreements, Apple can still charge a commission on external transactions, but the size of this fee remains a contentious point. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney strongly opposes any fixed percentages.
The recent U.S. court decision effectively solidifies the current market status quo. While this legal battle appears unending, independent app developers can breathe a sigh of relief, having gained significant freedom from Apple’s restrictive policies.