Judge Rules Apple Cannot Prevent Developers From Linking Alternative Payment Methods

A U.S. judge in the Epic Games antitrust lawsuit against Apple has struck down some of the company's restrictions on developers, reports Reuters.

The judge says Apple cannot bar developers from linking outside payment methods, nor can it ban developers from communicating with their customers.

The ruling says that Apple cannot bar developers from providing buttons or links in their apps that direct customers to other ways to pay outside of Apple's own in-app purchase system, which charges developers commissions of up to 30%. The ruling also said that Apple cannot ban developers from communicating with customers via contact information that the developers obtained when customers signed up within the app.


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Update:
The Verge has shared the full PDF ruling here and the permanent injunction here.

The Permanent Injunction says Apple is "permanently restrained and enjoined from prohibiting developers from (i) including in their apps and their metadata buttons, externals links, or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms, in addition to In-App Purchasing and (ii) communicating with customers through points of contact obtained voluntarily from customers through account registration within the app."

The injunction is set to take effect in 90 days.


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