Apple has made changes to the App Store guidelines. One of the points concerns the lifting of the ban on informing users about alternative payment methods outside of iOS. This is a direct response to a class action lawsuit from developers that the company settled in August.In total, Apple changed three points of its rules on October 22.
According to the company, this will provide better security for users and facilitate the verification process for developers.
- The first point concerns events inside applications. Apple has added information about metadata and compliance with selected time frames for in-game events.Another subparagraph states that developers can request contact information (name, email address, etc.). At the same time, the user must be able to refuse, and the information itself must comply with existing restrictions (for example, on collecting children’s data).
- Finally, Apple removed the whole sentence from clause 3.1.3. According to it, developers could not use data from applications to send emails to users in order to inform them about alternative payment methods outside the App Store.
- The latest change is directly related to a class action lawsuit that a group of American developers filed against Apple in 2019.
One of the claims was the company’s ban on communication with users outside of applications and the store itself.
In August, Apple settled the dispute and announced that it was ready to soften the App Store policy. Now the company has officially lifted the ban on billing.
It is worth noting that the change in paragraph 3.1.3 is not directly related to the lawsuit between Apple and Epic Games. According to the latest decision, the Cupertino company should provide developers with the opportunity to leave links to alternative payment methods outside the App Store in applications. The proceedings did not end there, as both Apple and Epic Games have already filed appeals.