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Apple has formally submitted a proposal to the U.S. District Court of Northern California outlining a tiered commission structure for purchases made through external links within iOS applications. The filing reveals the company’s intention to charge a 15% fee on standard app transactions, marking a significant development in the ongoing legal dispute with Epic Games over App Store policies.
The proposed framework includes reduced rates for certain developer categories. Small business developers would face a 5% commission, while participants in Apple’s Video Partner Program, News Partner Program, and Mini Apps Partner Program would pay 10%. Subscription renewals would similarly be taxed at 10%, according to the court documents.
Apple’s submission came after the Supreme Court rejected the company’s attempt to delay proceedings in the lower court case. The tech giant had previously argued that the dispute should be paused pending a separate Supreme Court ruling on whether Apple violated a court order by imposing a 27% commission on external link purchases. Apple contends that charging fees allows the company to recoup investments in maintaining its platform infrastructure and services.
The proposal draws comparison to Google Play’s fee structure, which charges 20% for standard apps, 15% for special program participants, and 10% for subscription renewals. Apple noted that Epic Games had previously agreed to similar rates on the Google platform.
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Originally reported by Techcrunch →
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