Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney says he will never agree to share revenue with Apple for purchases made outside the App Store. You see this stance harden after a U.S. appeals court ruled that Apple can charge a reasonable fee for external purchases, but not arbitrary commissions.
The ruling sends the long-running Epic v. Apple dispute back to the district court. Judges now want a clear answer on what Apple can charge and why.
Appeals Court Decision
The U.S. Court of Appeals said Apple can collect some compensation for purchases made through external links in iOS apps. At the same time, the court rejected Apple’s past approach of blocking links or attaching steep commissions.
The judges ruled that Apple went too far by making external links hard to use. Still, they said a total ban on fees looked more like punishment than a fix. Until the district court sets an approved rate, Apple cannot charge commissions on these external purchases.
Sweeney Accepts Flat Fees, Rejects Revenue Cuts
Speaking to The Verge, Sweeney said Epic accepts flat, submission-based fees tied to real review work.
He explained it clearly. “If you want to have an app go through review with custom linkouts, maybe there’s several hundred dollars of fees associated with that every time you submit an app.”
However, Sweeney drew a hard line against percentage-based fees. “I can’t imagine any justification for a percentage of developer revenue being assessed here,” he said.
He also called the ruling a turning point, saying it “completely shuts down” Apple’s theory that it can charge what he called “junk fees” for access.
Global Impact and Apple’s Strategy
Sweeney believes this decision will influence regulators worldwide. He asked why any country would allow fees that a U.S. court found unlawful.
“So far, Apple has taken the strategy of collecting junk fees in every territory,” he said. He hopes Apple moves toward one global policy that works for everyone.
For developers, this case shapes how much control Apple keeps over payments beyond the App Store. The next ruling will decide how far that control really goes.
