Judge Orders Apple to End App Store Commissions

A U.S. federal judge has ordered Apple to immediately cease charging commissions on purchases made outside the App Store, finding the company willfully violated a 2021 injunction in its dispute with Epic Games. The ruling also prevents Apple from interfering with or discouraging alternative payment methods and blocks restrictions on developers linking to external payment options. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers referred both Apple and an executive for possible criminal contempt. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney welcomed the decision and announced Fortnite's imminent return to the U.S. iOS App Store, offering to end all litigation if Apple applies these changes globally. Apple disagrees with the ruling and plans to appeal but will comply in the meantime, potentially benefiting developers like Netflix and Spotify. The decision is expected to have significant implications for app store payment practices and developer fees worldwide.