苹果就App Store外部支付禁令再提上诉 称“零佣金”规定“过度惩罚”

Core Points - Apple has filed an emergency motion to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn a federal judge's order prohibiting external payment commissions, claiming the order is excessively punitive and unfair, potentially causing irreversible damage to its business model [1][3] - The appeal stems from a five-year antitrust lawsuit with Epic Games, where the judge ruled that Apple violated a 2021 court order by not fully opening its App Store to external payment options and maintaining a monopoly through technical means [3][4] - The judge's ruling emphasized that Apple must immediately stop charging commissions on external payments and cease discouraging users from using third-party payment options, with potential criminal contempt investigations against Apple executives [3][4] Company Implications - Apple argues that the judge's order overlooks the complexities of the app ecosystem and that a zero-commission requirement could lead to developer abuse of external payment channels, threatening user privacy and security [3][4] - The company has made significant concessions, such as allowing developers to guide users to complete in-app purchases via the web, but insists on a 27% commission to cover operational costs [3][4] - If the injunction is lifted, it could prevent a wave of collective lawsuits from developers claiming losses in the billions due to Apple's non-compliance with the order [4] Regulatory Environment - The appeal occurs amid a global regulatory crackdown, with the EU imposing a €500 million fine on Apple under the Digital Markets Act and requiring changes to its rules by June 26, or face additional daily fines of 5% of global revenue [4] - The U.S. Department of Justice is also investigating Apple for potential market abuse, with the judge having referred Apple and an executive for possible criminal contempt investigations [4] - A failure in the appeal could disrupt Apple's App Store business model, allowing developers to save on commissions and potentially leading to lower prices for users, although Apple warns this could result in a proliferation of low-quality apps and weaken its control over app quality and safety [4]