Apple Inc. has been ordered to make the most significant change to its App Store business model since launching the platform in 2008, and it could cost the tech giant a few billion dollars annually.
In a ruling Friday, US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers said the company must give developers the option of bypassing its commission on in-app purchases – a cut that runs as high as 30%. That includes letting iOS apps use "buttons, external links or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing methods” other than Apple’s payment system.