Developers are wasting no time taking advantage of the new freedoms offered by last week’s US District Court ruling. Ever since Apple was reprimanded by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers for defying her 2021 injunction that required it to allow developers to link out to alternative purchasing systems, we’ve been seeing new updates that provide users with other ways of paying, in some cases opening up new features that have long been missing.
Spotify was one of the first to react, releasing an update less than 48 hours after Judge Rogers’ ruling that added buttons to subscribe to the streaming service via its website. Patreon has also announced plans to follow suit, and today, Amazon released an update to the Kindle app that now includes a “Get Book” button below any titles you don’t already own.
Spotify had briefly allowed in-app purchases from 2014 to 2016 before deciding to shut the feature down entirely due to Apple’s revenue cut. This forced users to subscribe on the website, as Apple’s App Store rules prevented Spotify from informing users of an alternative signup method. Similarly, Netflix and other apps had to redirect users to external websites for subscription sign-ups.
The “anti-steering” provision was a key point in the case, which Apple lost in its lawsuit with Epic Games. Despite losing the case, Apple continued to resist compliance with the court ruling, choosing anti-competitive options at every turn. Eventually, Apple was ordered to relax its rules and allow developers to direct customers to make digital purchases outside of the App Store without paying a commission to Apple.
This decision not only benefits developers financially but also improves user experience in the App Store. Apps that previously could not offer in-app purchases can now provide users with a more convenient way to buy digital goods.
One of the oldest apps impacted by Apple’s intransigence is Amazon’s Kindle. Apple’s policies prevented Amazon from selling Kindle books through the app without giving Apple a commission. With the recent update, a “Get Book” button now directs users to the Safari browser to make purchases, improving the overall experience for Kindle users.
While this update is currently only available in the US, Apple is appealing the court ruling, which could potentially reverse this new App Store freedom. The higher courts have previously upheld the core principle that Apple must allow developers to link out to external websites, but the issue of commissions remains uncertain. Apple may have to adjust its commission rates, which could impact developers like Amazon, especially in industries with thin profit margins like book sales.
