The American company loses the lawsuit against Epic Games developers

New lawsuit lost for Apple

photo_camera REUTERS/DADO RUVIC - The U.S. judiciary has rejected Apple's request to postpone enforcement of the court ruling in Epic Games v Apple, regarding its commitment to allow developers to display electronic links to various payment methods within their apps, which will change the method of payment within iPhone apps forever

The request of one of the world's leading multinationals, to postpone the implementation of the court ruling on the Epic Games vs Apple case, has been rejected by the US judiciary.   

According to the court's decision, Apple must implement the change of the new measures, by the deadline of December 9 of this year.   

This resolution will mean a definitive change in the payment method within iOS applications forever.  

Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, judge in charge of the lawsuit against Apple, decided last September 10 the ruling on the case.   

Fortnite game graphic displayed on smartphone in front of Apple logo

Epic Games filed a lawsuit against the Apple giant, alleging that this company was implementing "anti-competitive practices" and "abuse of its market power", since it did not allow developers to implement alternative payment methods to its store.  

Following this resolution, the apple company had to allow links to external payments in applications located within the App Store. 

South Korea passed a law in September this year requiring Apple and Google to allow developers to create alternative payment methods to the App Store and Google Play.

This fact, was pleasantly welcomed by Tim Sweeney, founder of Epic Games, who spoke out on networks about it showing his support for the decision, and quoting a speech by John F. Kennedy.  

File photo, Epic Games CEO, creator of "Fortnite," Tim Sweeney, leaves after a weeks-long antitrust trial in federal court in Oakland, California, U.S., May 21, 2021

"Korea has been the first to open the platforms! Korea has rejected monopoly in digital commerce and recognized the right to open platforms. This is an important milestone in the 45-year history of computing. It started in Cupertino, but today's cutting edge is in Seoul," communicated Tim Sweeney.

"Today all developers around the world can be proud to say: I'm Korean!", added the founder of Epic Games. 

Apple requested to postpone the implementation of the court ruling on the case, to which the court noted that the company's reasons for delaying or disabling the implementation of the ruling, were illogical.    

In turn, the court urged the apple company to implement the new measures in its online store and its products as soon as possible, granting the company the possibility to implement the measures required to avoid the loss of users of its applications, due to the redirection of links to other alternative websites. 

Cook compared the demand by some Apple users to allow app downloads from outside its App Store to asking automakers to remove safety standards such as airbags and seat belts

Apple announced in its objection, that the implementation of this decision would also upset the balance that persisted between app developers and App Store users in terms of privacy policy, which could cause "irreparable harm"

However, the court added that, having failed to detect any breach of users' security and privacy by relying on links in the apps that take them to external websites, Apple must ensure the protection and non-disclosure of its phone users' data, including by implementing new safeguards.   

Apple also failed to get the court to undo its decision by objecting that implementing it would take a great deal of time to weather the economic, technical and legal consequences.

Apple's CEO Tim Cook

"We intend to ask the Ninth Circuit for an injunction based on these circumstances," an Apple spokesperson communicated, via The Verge. 

Tim Cook, Apple CEO, communicated that IOS users who want to download apps outside its official store have the option to switch to Android phones, as Apple guarantees the highest standards of security and privacy.   

Tim Sweeney confirmed that the Fortnite game will not be returning to the App Store anytime soon, meaning that users of the game might not see its return to Apple's online store for another five years.     

More in New technologies-innovation