Meta, Microsoft, X and Match Group oppose Apple’s third-party payment policies

Several notable names have joined in taking a stand against Apple’s decision to charge a fee for iOS payments made outside the App Store. Meta, Microsoft, X and Match Group filed amicus briefs in the case, as reports. This lends some support to Epic’s cause.

Apple was forced to enable third-party payments on iOS due to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) and a US court ruling. It must also be on iOS in the EU. The company takes up to 30% off App Store purchases. Perhaps fearing it was about to lose a significant portion of the commission, Apple said it would charge a fee of up to 27 percent when developers process purchases outside the App Store.

Epic this month filed a petition asking District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers to enforce a lawsuit she issued against Apple in 2021 as part of her ruling in the case between the two companies. The decision forced Apple to allow developers to direct users to alternative payment systems.

However, the majority of Rogers’ decision was in Apple’s favor, and both companies appealed the decision all the way to the Supreme Court. However, in January, the highest court in the United States. This means that Rogers’ permanent injunction against Apple is in place, but Epic is unhappy with the way Apple has implemented the changes to third-party payments.

The four companies supporting Epic’s petition argue that the fee Apple charges for external payments effectively leaves the previous rules in place. “Apple’s plan meets neither the letter nor the spirit of this court’s mandate,” their brief said.

As X said, the 27 percent fee doesn’t give developers much incentive to link to external payment methods. Microsoft, which is working on , noted that Apple’s latest policy limits its ability to offer users subscriptions and discounts. Match Group argues that Apple’s decision will affect many developers and consumers and that it thwarts the court’s attempt to offer consumers competition on pricing.

Meanwhile, Meta charges more for its and its iOS apps than it does on the web. (The ad-free subscription is also more expensive in the company’s Android apps, as Google also takes a cut of in-app payments.) Meta states in the amicus brief that it should be able to direct users to other payment options for boosted posts.

Apple says it has complied with the court order. According to Journal, the company (which is reportedly facing an antitrust case from the Department of Justice) says its current external linking policies are important to protect user privacy and security. Apple has also come under fire for its , the company may adhere to the letter of the law but not its spirit.

For what it’s worth, Meta, Microsoft, X and Match Group filed their petition a day after the EU’s antitrust chief warned Apple about the new fees it’s charging developers (and Meta for its ad-free subscription). Margrethe Vestager said that developer feedback would play an important factor in whether the block invests in Apple, Meta or another company subject to DMA rules. She noted that she received “quite a few” comments from third parties.

Meanwhile, Epic is also preparing to debut on Android later this year. The company at the Game Developers Conference that the store will be cross-platform between mobile, PC and macOS. The company plans to charge mobile game developers the same 12 percent cut it takes on PC game sales.

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