AndroGuider | One Stop For The Techy You! Apple Wants 15% Fee on External iOS Purchases Despite App…
انتشار: 2026/08/14 20:13 UTCدریافت: 2026/08/15 15:05 UTCآخرین مشاهده: 2026/08/15 15:05 UTC
AndroGuider | One Stop For The Techy You! Apple Wants 15% Fee on External iOS Purchases Despite App Store Bypass Ruling ai4chat-files.s3.amazonaws.com/images/ima… TL;DR * Apple has asked a federal judge to allow it to charge up…mpany says the fee would be collected through self-reporting and auditing, rather than through its own payment system, and would be necessary to prevent free-riding on its platform investments.Apple has also argued that other platforms and patent licensing models support ongoing compensation for use of a platform, even when the final sale occurs elsewhere. Why Developers Say 15% Is Still Too MuchFor developers, especially large ones like Epic, Spotify, and Match Group, any commission on external purchases defeats the purpose of the injunction. They argue that once a user leaves the App Store to pay on the web, Apple has provided no payment processing, hosting, or customer service, and therefore has no right to a cut.The Coalition for App Fairness and several developer advocates have already filed opposition, stating that a 15% fee would still force most developers to keep using Apple's in-app purchase system, which charges 15% to 30%. After factoring in payment processing fees from Stripe or PayPal (typically 2.9% + $0.30) plus the proposed Apple fee and the cost of auditing and reporting, the savings from going external would be marginal or negative.Smaller developers are particularly concerned about the administrative burden. Tracking external web sales attributable to an iOS link click and reporting them to Apple would create new accounting and privacy complexities that didn't exist under the court's zero-fee order. What It Means for ConsumersApple's proposal also has direct implications for iPhone users. The original injunction was intended to foster price competition. If developers could avoid Apple's 30% cut, they could theoretically pass savings on to consumers through lower prices on the web — as Epic, Spotify, and Netflix have already begun to do since the April 2025 order removed fees.If a 15% commission is reinstated, that incentive shrinks dramatically. Developers would have less reason to offer discounted web prices, and consumers would be less likely to see cheaper options outside the App Store. Apple, however, argues that its commission funds the security and curation that consumers expect from iOS, and that allowing completely free external payments would undermine the integrated experience that differentiates the iPhone. What's at Stake and What Happens NextAt its core, this is a fight over the definition of the App Store itself. Is it a store where Apple only gets paid when it processes the transaction, or is it a platform where Apple gets paid for access to its billion-plus user base regardless of where the payment happens?Judge Gonzalez Rogers has shown little patience for Apple's previous attempts to monetize external links, and it is not certain she will grant the modification. The Ninth Circuit is also weighing Apple's appeal of the contempt finding, and the case could eventually be headed to the Supreme Court.If the court denies Apple's request, the current status quo remains: developers can link to the web for payments without paying Apple anything and without intrusive warning screens. If the 15% fee is approved, it would create a new industry standard for "platform taxes" that could influence ongoing antitrust cases against Apple and Google in the U.S. and the European Union under the Digital Markets Act.A decision on the motion is expected in the coming weeks after briefing and a hearing. Until then, developers are free to offer external payment links commission-free — but they are building their businesses knowing Apple is actively working to put a price back on that freedom.