It's another day in the ongoing Epic vs Apple saga, which many thought had concluded long ago. However, a recent ruling may force Apple to abandon its controversial 30% commission on links to alternative payment methods outside the App Store. This development marks a significant shift in the battle that began when Epic Games' CEO, Tim Sweeney, allowed Fortnite players to make in-app purchases directly from Epic, offering substantial discounts.

The implications of this ruling are far-reaching. Previously, Apple had to comply with similar regulations in the EU, but the US had been more favorable towards them. Now, the tide has turned decisively against Apple. The company is prohibited from imposing fees on purchases made outside of apps, restricting developers' placement or formatting of links, limiting the use of 'calls to action' such as banners that inform users of potential savings, excluding certain apps or developers, and using 'scare screens' to interfere with consumer choice. Instead, Apple must now use 'neutral messaging' to inform users they are navigating to a third-party site.

While Epic may have lost some skirmishes along the way, this ruling suggests they have won the war. Apple intends to appeal the decision, but overturning it seems unlikely given the judges' stance. With the Epic Games Store for mobile already established on Android and iOS in the EU, and on Android in the US, the significance of the iOS App Store may diminish over time.

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