It seems unbelievable, but more than two and a half years have passed since then Apple deals a heavy blow to Epic Games by removing Fortnite from the iOS App Store. It was a harsh punishment, but an expected one, as the Fortnite developer introduced the option to use an alternative payment method in the game, breaking the rules set by Apple for publishing games and apps in its iPhone app store. Google took the same action and for the same reason, but because Google’s operating system allows sideloading and third-party app stores, the focus of the conflict was between Apple and Epic.

Obviously, Epic decided to go to court, the court proceedings began on May 4, 2021 and just four months later the expected court decision was issued with a judgment that was interpreted by both sides as a success, or at least that is how we must understand the public communique in this regard that they issued at the time and despite the said satisfaction… both sides decided to prolong the court confrontation. In other words, in fact, neither side was satisfied with the result Which I personally thought was pretty accurate.

Let’s recall that sentence criticized Epic Games for breaking the rules tying the App Store and forced the company to compensate Apple for lost profits that were created by authorizing alternative payment methods. But on the other hand, too required Apple to allow app developers to include third-party payment methods.

Epic Games has filed an appeal, which we have been waiting to see resolved. And to the (relative) joy of the people of Cupertino Apple has renewed its victory against accusations of monopolistic techniques. In this way, Epic Games will have to satisfy the penalty imposed by the room in which the trial was held in 2021. However, it is also stipulated that Apple will have to allow the inclusion of third-party payment methods. In other words, everything remains exactly the same as in the September 2021 ruling, although the end of the process is not good news for Apple, which until now avoided the need to allow third-party payment methods. In an interview with MacRumors, the company stated the following:

«Today’s decision reaffirms Apple’s overwhelming victory in this case, as nine out of ten claims were decided in Apple’s favor. For the second time in two years, a federal court has ruled that Apple is in compliance with state and federal antitrust laws. The App Store continues to foster competition, foster innovation and expand opportunity, and we’re proud of its profound contribution to users and developers around the world. We respectfully dissent from the trial court’s ruling on the only remaining state claim and consider further review.»

As you might have guessed, the last sentence of the statement refers to the obligation set out in the previous judgment, which was as follows:

«Apple Inc. and its directors, agents, officers, employees and any person in concert with or actively involved with them (“Apple”) are permanently prohibited from prohibiting developers from (i) including in their applications and their buttons external links or other prompts to actions that, in addition to an in-app purchase, direct customers to purchase mechanisms and (ii) communicate with customers through contact points voluntarily obtained from customers through application registration.»

So it seems they have decided to continue fighting this point in court. Because? Most likely the end result, no matter how long the road to justice, it will be the one we already know. However, in this way, Apple gains time in which it does not have to apply this measure. Months years? It is impossible to know, but since at least in Europe they are already preparing for very important changes, we can guess that similar measures should not be delayed too long on the other side of the pond either.