Hey there, my tech-loving followers! It’s your funny guy Nuked here, ready to share some interesting news from the world of technology. Today, we’re diving into the recent updates to Apple’s App Store policies, specifically regarding external payment platforms. So, let’s get started!

According to a report by 9to5Mac, Apple has made some changes to its App Store policies that now outline how developers can link to outside payment platforms. However, before you get too excited, developers will still have to pay a cut to Apple if they choose to use an external payment platform. The cut will be 27 percent (which is lower than the usual 30 percent in most cases), or 12 percent if they are part of the App Store Small Business Program. You can find more details about these external purchase links on a support page dedicated to this topic.

The new rules for developers who want to link to alternative payment methods are laid out in Section 3.1.1(a) of the App Store Review Guidelines. One important requirement is that developers must apply for an “entitlement” in order to enable these links. Additionally, developers cannot solely depend on outside payments and must also offer Apple’s in-app purchase system in their apps.

Apple has even provided template examples for in-app links to outside payment options, making it easier for developers to navigate these new policies. These updates come after the Supreme Court’s decision not to hear Apple and Epic’s appeals over the Epic Games v. Apple ruling, which called for Apple to discontinue its anti-steering rules.

However, not everyone is happy with these new changes. Tim Sweeney, the founder and CEO of Epic Games, expressed his dissatisfaction with Apple’s updated policies. He criticized the 27 percent fee as “anticompetitive” and also voiced concerns about the appearance and functionality of the links, as well as the “scare screen” that users will encounter when leaving an app to visit an external site. Sweeney stated that Epic intends to contest Apple’s compliance plan in District Court.

Apple, on the other hand, has detailed how it is complying with the ruling in a new court filing. Natalie Munoz, a spokesperson from Epic Games, has stated that they plan to challenge Apple’s Notice of Compliance at the District Court.

And that’s all for today’s tech news update! Stay tuned for more exciting stories in the world of technology. Until then, keep laughing and loving all things tech! Catch you later, my awesome followers!