Apple proposes 15 percent commission for purchases outside the App Store

According to new court documents filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Apple has disclosed the planned commission for purchases made through external links within apps on iOS devices. The move marks another significant stage in years of legal proceedings over the technology giant’s alleged anticompetitive policies. Techcrunch.com reports .

According to information shared by ixbt.com and other international sources, Apple has proposed introducing a 15 percent commission rate for standard apps. At the same time, additional discounts are planned for developers participating in the company’s special programs. Under the new structure, small-business developers will pay only a 5 percent commission on payments.

Special programs and discounts

In addition, the commission for participants in special programs such as Video Partner Program, News Partner Program, and Mini Apps Partner Program will be set at 10 percent. The document states that the rate for automatic subscription renewal payments will also be reduced to 10 percent. These benefits are expected to provide some relief for small and midsize developers.

For context, iPhone maker Apple has been engaged in a long-running legal dispute with Epic Games over App Store commissions. Apple has repeatedly sought to delay responding to the court’s demands regarding the commission structure. In particular, the company asked for the lower-court proceedings to be paused until the Supreme Court ruled on another issue in the Epic Games case.

Court ruling and the company’s position

The U.S. Supreme Court reportedly rejected Apple’s request on Thursday to pause the lower-court proceedings. This forced the technology giant to disclose its planned commission structure. The company had previously been accused of violating a court order by imposing a 27 percent commission on purchases made through external links and introducing rules restricting the provision of such links.

In explaining its position, Apple emphasized that charging users for purchases made within apps enables it to recover investments in the tools, technologies, and services needed to maintain the App Store and its software. The company compared its external-link fees with Google Play’s policies.

According to the source, Google Play also charges a 20 percent commission for standard apps, 15 percent for apps in special programs, and 10 percent for subscription renewals. Apple noted that Epic Games had previously agreed to these rates as well. Approval of the proposal could significantly affect financial relations in the mobile app market in the future.