Why it matters: This week'south ruling in the court instance between Epic Games and Apple resulted in wins and losses on both sides. Apple can't block links to outside payment systems on its platform, but the judge still ruled that it lawfully banned Fortnite from iOS and is entitled to damages from Epic's breach of contract.

The biggest conclusion in the new ruling was the injunction that says Apple tree can't end developers on its iOS platform from linking to payment options outside iOS. This could cost Apple billions in long-term profits, but the estimate ruled that Epic still broke Apple's rules when it linked to its own payment option at the fourth dimension the instance began last year.

Ballsy sued Apple tree concluding year for banning Fortnite from iOS. Apple did that because Epic started directing Fortnite customers on iOS to pay for in-game items through Epic directly pay, cutting Apple out of the xxx percent commission information technology collects on transactions in most apps.

According to the 185-folio ruling, Ballsy collected $12,167,719 in acquirement from Fortnite through Epic directly pay between August and Oct concluding year. It now has to give Apple its 30 percent cutting of that money, along with "30% of whatsoever such revenue Ballsy Games collected from Nov 1, 2022 through the date of judgment." That comes out to at to the lowest degree $iii.half dozen million.

The ruling as well says Apple tree was fully within its right to kick Ballsy off iOS, even though it tin can now no longer stop developers from doing what Ballsy did. Since Due south Korea passed a law late last month prohibiting app store operators from forcing their own payment systems onto developers, Ballsy has tried to become back on iOS, at least in Republic of korea. So far Apple has refused, and the ruling may betoken Apple will never be under any obligation to let Epic dorsum in.

Both companies are expected to appeal parts of the ruling.