The Supreme Court rejected Apple and Epic Games’ request to appeal a lower court’s decision that Apple’s App Store is anticompetitive. The case was not heard, which was surprising considering that a jury convicted Google guilty in a similar antitrust dispute with Epic. Since the Supreme Court declined to rule on Apple’s standing, the original verdict remains. The court found Apple had not engaged in anticompetitive tactics; hence, Apple prevailed. The court found that app producers may direct users to the web via links in their applications; thus, Apple had to give up.
Apple appealed because of this upset with its App Store “anti-steering” guidelines. Apple does not want app developers to push their own websites and payment systems from inside iOS applications, which might affect App Store transactions and Apple’s fees.
Developers like direct consumer contact. Since the developer no longer pays the “Apple tax” or commissions, in-app sales or subscriptions may be cheaper on the web for users. 
Epic Games’ CEO Tim Sweeney called the Supreme Court’s rejection a “sad outcome for all developers,” but the “fight goes on.”
The Supreme Court rejected both parties’ antitrust appeals in Epic v. Apple. The US legal case to open iOS to rival shops and payments is over. Sweeney remarked in a prepared statement, “A sad outcome for all developers.” The District Court’s order against Apple’s anti-steering regulation allows developers to incorporate “buttons, external links, or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms, in addition to IAP” in their applications, he said.
Developers may now advise U.S. consumers about better web rates under their court-ordered rights. These horrible Apple-mandated confusion displays are gone forever. The struggle continues. To stop Apple’s anticompetitive app store tactics, regulators and lawmakers worldwide are adopting new legislation. The EU’s Digital Markets Act takes effect on March 7, Sweeney said.
The Supreme Court rejected both parties’ antitrust appeals in Epic v. Apple. The US legal case to open iOS to rival shops and payments is over. Unfortunately for all coders,.
Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) January 16, 2024
The Ninth Circuit determined in April 2023 that Apple had defeated Epic in appeals court. The court sustained the district court’s antitrust verdict and the lower court’s Unfair Competition law order, which would force Apple to eliminate the “anti-steering” section from its App Store developer agreement.
If app manufacturers can drive consumers to pay for sales and subscriptions online, the internet giant might lose billions in yearly income. Apple investors recognized the implications of this move as its shares sank almost 2.5 percent after the news surfaced. It has recovered marginally and is down 1.09% as of writing.
Rick VanMeter, executive director of the Coalition for App Fairness, which includes Epic Games, Spotify, Tile, Match, and others, said the Supreme Court’s rejection of Apple’s appeal confirmed that the company’s anti-steering policy is illegal, anti-competitive, and must end. Developers may now direct users to their websites to buy, lowering costs and increasing consumer choice. This is a good start and shows the need for legislation like the Open App Markets Act to build an open and free app store ecosystem, he said.
