Just before the highly anticipated WWDC 2025, Apple faces a new judicial ruling at an inopportune time. The U.S. Court of Appeals has officially denied Apple’s request to delay proceedings in its lawsuit with Epic Games. This decision mandates that Apple must allow apps to include external links for alternative payment methods, thereby bypassing Apple’s standard commission fees.
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A Judicial Affirmation of Apple’s Failed Evasion Tactics
The origins of this case trace back to August 2020 when Fortnite was removed from the App Store for violating Apple’s in-app payment policies. Since then, Epic Games has been tenaciously challenging the App Store’s practices, which it claims stifle competition.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers had previously decreed that Apple must eliminate clauses that prevented developers from pointing out alternative payment methods outside of the App Store. In response, Apple introduced new, highly restrictive rules that required developers to navigate complex forms and pay fixed fees, significantly deterring the practical use of external links.
A Partial Victory for Epic and Spotify
However, the American justice system believes Apple’s maneuvering is insufficient: Apple is accused of deliberately overlooking the essence of the court’s injunction. This time, no reprieve was granted: the Appeals Court strongly disagreed with Apple’s stance.
In a statement released by American media outlets, Apple expressed deep disappointment with the decision: “We are disappointed that the court did not uphold the order, and we will continue to defend our case during the appeal process. As we have stated before, we strongly disagree with the district court’s opinion. Our goal is to ensure that the App Store remains an incredible opportunity for developers and a safe and trustworthy experience for our users.”
Epic Games welcomes the decision, although it still does not allow the company to introduce its own store on iOS in the USA (but it might do so through its Swedish subsidiary). The flagship game, however, can return to the iPhone with direct links to its V-Bucks, circumventing Apple’s tax. Spotify, which has long campaigned against Apple’s 15 to 30 percent commission, has also started directing its iOS users to its own payment pages, without paying a cent to Apple.
What impact will this have on Apple’s revenue? With the increasing importance of services, Apple is growing more reliant on the commissions generated by the App Store. This ruling could therefore affect the revenue of the Services division, although the actual extent remains to be seen. In practice, many users might prefer the simplicity of integrated payment, rather than being redirected to an external site with a potentially less smooth form. Apple’s purchasing interface remains highly popular for its speed and security.