Apple Updates U.S. App Review Guidelines Following Epic Games Ruling

In the wake of yesterday's court ruling in the dispute between Apple and Epic Games over Apple's policies restricting developers' ability to inform users about alternatives to making purchases through Apple's in-app purchasing system, Apple has updated its App Review Guidelines to comply with the ruling.

iOS App Store General Feature Sqaure Complement
Apple summarized the changes in an email to developers today:

3.1.1: Apps on the United States storefront are not prohibited from including buttons, external links, or other calls to action when allowing users to browse NFT collections owned by others.

3.1.1(a): On the United States storefront, there is no prohibition on an app including buttons, external links, or other calls to action, and no entitlement is required to do so.

3.1.3: The prohibition on encouraging users to use a purchasing method other than in-app purchase does not apply on the United States storefront.

3.1.3(a): The External Link Account entitlement is not required for apps on the United States storefront to include buttons, external links, or other calls to action.

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple must immediately comply with the ruling even as the company moves to appeal.

The changes are currently limited to the United States given the scope of the court case, but Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney offered a "peace proposal" pledging to drop all remaining litigation against Apple over the issue if Apple were to implement the required U.S. changes on a worldwide basis. Apple has so far given no indication that it is interested in accepting that proposal.

Following the court ruling and with Apple's policy changes, major app developers are already moving to make it easier for users to purchase or subscribe to content outside of the App Store, with Spotify already submitting an app update, Patreon indicating that it will do so, and ‌Epic Games‌ saying that it will bring Fortnite back to the U.S. ‌App Store‌.

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Top Rated Comments

UliBaer Avatar
9 weeks ago
I predict: The world will not implode because of that!
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GizmoDVD Avatar
9 weeks ago
Can’t wait for parents to not know how to cancel subscriptions on these out of bounds websites and try and blame Apple.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
koelsh Avatar
9 weeks ago

Can’t wait for parents to not know how to cancel subscriptions on these out of bounds websites and try and blame Apple.
Probably the same way they already deal with the Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, casino, Chuck E Cheese, McDonalds, DoorDash, and other subscriptions and purchases when they give their kids unsupervised credit card access.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheColtr Avatar
9 weeks ago

This is a temporary setback for Apple. They have already confirmed they will appeal, and they are going to throw everything at this terrible decision - a decision threatens the very existence of one of Americas greatest corporations of all-time, and risks costing consumers billions through fraud and misleading sales techniques.
I hope you’re being sarcastic. The company gets 50 percent of its revenue from iPhone hardware alone. If they got zero money from the AppStore they’d be just fine. This is good for customers. Apple will now have to compete with other payment processors, making the whole thing better for customers.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
spercharged69 Avatar
9 weeks ago
This is such a slam dunk for developers. These web-based payment portals are just as easy as buying things through the App Store. Most (all?) support Apple Pay and it’s super easy.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dumastudetto Avatar
9 weeks ago

It’s nice to see Apple capitulating on all fronts. Greed and arrogance shall be punished.
This is a temporary setback for Apple. They have already confirmed they will appeal, and they are going to throw everything at this terrible decision - a decision threatens the very existence of one of Americas greatest corporations of all-time, and risks costing consumers billions through fraud and misleading sales techniques.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)