Although Apple will have to let developers add links to third-party payment systems, it still has Plan B on how to collect commission. The company considers charging fees even if a transaction is made outside the App Store.
On December 2, RevenueCat developer advocate David Barnard highlighted a legal filing from Apple. The court ruling regarding independent payment systems is about to go into force on December 9, but the company has no plans to back down.
“Apple has not previously charged a commission on purchases of digital content via buttons and links because such purchases have not been implemented. If the injunction were to go into effect, Apple could charge a commission on purchases made through such mechanics,” the filing reads.
What I’ve come to assume is now in black and white in this filing from Apple: If the injunction goes into effect, Apple seems likely to charge a commission on any transactions that start in the app, even if they are completed on the web. https://t.co/GVoEhiQbFS pic.twitter.com/uyXjAmM1uD
— David Barnard (@drbarnard) December 2, 2021
However, it is not the first time the company considers an option like this. In May, Tim Cook noted that Apple will have to find an alternate way of collecting fees if the court supports Epic Games.
The legal fight between Epic and Apple formally ended in September when the court ruled the Cupertino company must allow buttons linking to third-party payment systems. However, it didn’t end there, as both Apple and Epic later appealed the ruling. Last month, the court denied Apple’s request to grant it a stay, saying that the company still must make changes by December 9.