TapTechNews May 13th news, Apple recently added an option for App Store developers to include links to external payment methods, but according to the latest information, this antitrust remedy is actually not that attractive.
According to Bloomberg, at a hearing held on Friday as part of Apple's lawsuit with Epic, Apple said that only 38 developers applied to add such links, while reports suggest that about 65,000 developers qualify to add such links.
In January of this year, Apple adjusted the App Store policy to allow developers to add links in their applications that redirect users to websites where they can purchase related services or products of the app without using in-app purchases. Apple still charges a commission on these purchases, requiring developers to pay a fee of 12% to 27% (TapTechNews note: 3% lower than the standard 15/30 fee).
These changes are intended to comply with the injunction issued by US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in 2021, but Epic in March called Apple's compliance efforts a sham and filed a lawsuit against the court.
At this point, US District Judge Rogers does not seem to have a good impression of Apple either. Reports suggest that Rogers criticized Apple harshly on Friday, and when discussing Apple's solution at a recent hearing, she stated, It seems to me that (Apple's) goal is to maintain the past business model and revenue.
In addition to Apple's commission, developers also need to consider the costs of handling external payment links, which could result in higher expenditures than before.