Apple will have to continue to allow web links and third-party payment methods in the App Store after a higher court today denied its request to suspend a judge’s order.
In April, a federal judge demanded that Apple start allowing web links, stop restricting link formatting, and allow developers to offer external payment methods without giving the company a cut of their revenue. Apple immediately filed an appeal and asked for a stay of the order until the trial was completed.
But the appellate court rejected Apple’s urgent motion to block the order. The court stated that it was “not persuaded” that a stay of the order was appropriate, weighing Apple’s chances of success on appeal, whether irreparable harm would be caused to Apple, whether other parties would be harmed if the order were stayed, and what was in the public interest.
The denial bodes poorly for Apple’s chances of overturning the order, which stems from the Epic Games lawsuit. Epic sued Apple over the App Store restrictions back in 2020. Epic won only a minor victory in the case when the court ordered Apple to allow developers to communicate with their users about better pricing.
Then, in April, in a sharp ruling, the court pointed out that Apple had repeatedly failed to comply. The judge then gave Apple a clearer order on how the App Store should be opened.
In the weeks since then, major apps such as Spotify and Kindle have taken advantage of the ruling by adding links to online purchases to their apps. Fortnite is also back, offering a choice between Apple’s internal payment system and Epic’s own payment and rewards program. This week, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney told The Verge that the ratio between the two systems is currently 60 to 40, with Apple still winning.
“We are disappointed with the decision not to stay the district court’s decision, and we will continue to defend our position during the appeal process,” said Apple spokesperson Olivia Dalton. “As we have previously stated, we strongly disagree with the district court’s opinion. Our goal is to ensure that the App Store remains an incredible opportunity for developers and a safe and secure environment for our users.”
