Apple settled today on a class-action lawsuit filed by two app developers in 2019. The company has agreed to allow developers to warn users of its apps that there are purchase options outside of the App Store, Apple's app store. Apple. In addition, a payment of US$100 million to the developers was also accepted.
The lawsuit against Apple is in the US District Court for the Northern District of California. The action document says:
"Apple has agreed to revise its App Store Guidelines to allow developers of all categories of apps to communicate with consenting customers outside of your app, including via email and other communication services, about purchase methods other than within the app... This injunction is extremely valuable. By informing customers about alternative payment options, developers can avoid paying Apple commissions and, in addition, exert competitive pressure on Apple to discipline its prices."
While Apple has agreed to revise its Apple Store Guidelines, the agreement still does not allow developers to inform users about in-app purchase options. It is necessary that the contact takes place outside the apps, through email and phone number, which makes it considerably difficult to obtain a good result in the dissemination of information.
The group of companies suing Apple along with Epic Games says:
"Apple's bogus settlement offer is nothing more than a desperate attempt to avoid judgment from courts, regulators and legislators around the world. This offer does nothing to solve the structural and basic problems faced by all developers, large and small, undermining innovation and competition in the app ecosystem. Allowing developers to communicate with their customers about lower prices outside of their apps is not a compromise and further underlines Apple's complete control over the app market. If this deal passes, app makers will still be prevented from communicating about lower prices or offering competing payment options in their apps. We will not be appeased by empty gestures and will continue our fight for fair and open digital platforms."
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