The App Store is about to change because of a new legal settlement.

• The settlement dates back to a 2019 lawsuit: App developers sued because they believed Apple held too much power in deciding how they could charge for payments and in taking commission. The settlement changes Apple policy by allowing developers to communicate directly with customers regarding payments outside of the App Store, according to CNN.

• Apple also agreed to fork over $100 million: The companies in the lawsuit will receive anywhere from $250 to $30,000 each. 

But this still isn’t much of a win for app developers

As the WSJ points out, they still cannot advertise their alternative payment methods within the app (they’ll have to rely on data collection to get users’ email addresses and communicate the payment methods that way). Plus Apple will still take a hefty cut -- up to 30% -- on all in-app purchases.

The Verdict

Bigger changes may come from the Epic trial because Epic wants its own payment system inside the app. It remains to be seen if this settlement has any impact on the pending decision in the Epic case.