SCOTUS refuses to hear Apple's and Epic's appeals, allowing an appeals court ruling that lets app developers steer users to other payment systems take effect
which is that Apple can no longer block in-app links to web-based account management portals — is that Apple (and Google) can still charge a fee on external purchases, as I detail here: https://mobiledevmemo.com/... Dare Obasanjo / @carnage4life : Epic has lost its last shot at getting Apple's App Store on iOS declared a monopoly as the Supreme Court has declined to hear the appeal. This means Epic only had one win; Apple can't stop devs from telling users IAP are cheaper outside the App Store. https://www.bloomberg.com/... @games_fray : ANALYSIS: Epic's California injunction against Apple's anti-steering rule takes effect as Supreme Court denies both parties' petitions Apple fended off the largest & most important parts of Epic's case but maybe the DOJ or someone else will revive them. https://gamesfray.com/... Riz Virk / @rizstanford : This is pretty ridiculous - if ever there was a monopoly in us tech that deserved to be broken up, or which was using it's platform power inappropriately to cut out any competition, it's apple's App Store on iOS devices .... I spent the greater part of ten years working in that ecosystem and it's about as clear cut as it could be ... this is what happens when you have non-tech people making legal judgements about technology! Stephen Totilo / @stephentotilo : The Supreme Court will not hear Epic and Apple's appeals of the decision in the Fortnite case. That leaves things mostly as an Apple win. But with one court order in Epic's favor that requires Apple to allow developers to point app users to external payment methods [image] @games_fray : The #EpicGames v. #Apple judgment is now FINAL. The Supreme Court has denied either party's petition for review. This means the anti-anti-steering injunction that Epic won under California Unfair Competition Law enters into force. Apple wanted to prevent or delay that. 🧵1/4 [image] Florian Mueller / @florian4gamers : I totally support Epic Games' fight for app freedom. It feels bad they've won something that will benefit *others*, not them: Apple doesn't have to put Fortnite back on the App Store. Epic's fate reminds me of soccer player and EU antitrust plaintiff Jean-Marc Bosman: 🧵1/2 Florian Mueller / @florian4gamers : This is a very complex situation. There are reasons for which Epic would have needed a Supreme Court review more, but also reasons for which Apple won't like this outcome. The anti-anti-steering injunction allows app makers to promote alternative purchasing methods (WWW, Android) David Barnard / @drbarnard : Gonna be fascinating to see what Apple actually allows and then the legal battles that ensue to parse the injunction. Also whether or not Apple is going to take a stab at requiring developers pay 27% of revenue generated like they do in South Korea and the Netherlands. [image] Florian Mueller / @florian4gamers : Gamers should know that Apple generates substantially greater profits from games than any game maker in the world. And Apple has never made a game, at least none that any of us would know. It's just its monopoly power that allows it to tax the games industry. Kaelan Deese / @kaelandc : NEW: Supreme Court declines to get involved in an effort by Epic Games to have them review a lower court ruling in an antitrust case. Epic says Apple unfairly monopolizes the mobile app space with its iOS software and its in-app purchasing system. [image] Forums: Hacker News : Supreme Court Rejects Apple's Bid for Epic App Store Review Msmash / Slashdot : Supreme Court Rejects Apple-Epic Games Legal Battle MacRumors Forums : US Supreme Court Declines to Hear Apple vs. Epic Games Case