Apple asks the court for a 15% cut on purchases made outside the App Store

On August 13–14 Apple filed a court-ordered proposal for commissions on digital purchases that start with an in-app link and close on the web. The Supreme Court that same week refused to pause the Northern District of California fee-setting proceedings while it reviews a contempt question from the Epic Games case.

The rates Apple proposed

Standard apps that now pay 30% for in-app purchase would pay 15% on linked-out purchases. Apps in the Video, News, and Mini Apps partner programs, and subscription renewals, would pay 10%. Small Business Program apps would pay 5%. Apple compared those figures with Google Play’s link-out rates (20% / 15% / 10%) and noted Epic had agreed to Google’s schedule in a separate case.

Epic’s reply

Epic’s newsroom account on X said Apple “admitted that under the Ninth Circuit’s definition of ‘necessary costs’ they would charge 0%” for web link-outs, and that Epic believes 15% and 5% are “far outside of the bounds” of that guidance. Epic said it has roughly 60 days to file an opposition with expert witnesses. Apple argued that a zero rate would not recover its investments and would amount to price regulation.

• 15% standard / 10% partner programs and renewals / 5% Small Business Program
• Supreme Court denied Apple’s pause request
• Apple’s Supreme Court brief is due September 14 on the contempt track

Takeaways

• These are proposed US rates, not a live App Store rule yet
• Apple itself said a strict “necessary costs” reading is about zero
• The district court still has to pick a number after Epic responds

Source: TechCrunch