The App Store dispute between Apple and Epic Games enters a new phase
Apple has employed a new tactic in its ongoing legal battle with Fortnite creator Epic Games. The iPhone manufacturer asserts that the court ruling regarding App Store commissions should not apply to all developers, including giants like Microsoft and Spotify that are not involved in this lawsuit. This is reported by Techcrunch.com reports .
In a filing with the U.S. Supreme Court, Apple noted that Epic Games did not file a class-action lawsuit and failed to prove that lifting restrictions for all developers would provide any relief for Epic. The company is requesting a review of the lower court's decision.
The core of the dispute concerns granting developers the right to include links to alternative payment systems in their apps. Although Apple has allowed such links, it began charging a 27 percent commission on external payments. The Ninth Circuit Court deemed this a disregard for the court order, as such a high fee negates the purpose of using external payments.
Defending its position, Apple claims that the court ruling did not contain a specific ban on commissions, so technically no violation occurred. Epic Games, meanwhile, called this move by Apple an attempt to delay payment competition that would benefit consumers.
Nevertheless, Epic Games recently returned Fortnite to the App Store platform worldwide (except for Australia). The company remains confident that the court will eventually force Apple to change its current payment system.
