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Apple updates US App Store guidelines allowing developers to link to third-party payments

Apple will allow U.S. developers to link to outside websites for in-app purchases, according to the company’s updated developer guidelines.

According to a support page, developers will need approval from Apple before they can take advantage of the new rule, and app makers will only be permitted to notify users about alternative payment methods in specific ways. Still, the change is a significant concession for Apple, which has long been criticized for developers for App Store rules sometimes viewed as draconian and arbitrary. The company’s rule barring developers from communicating with users about alternative (and often cheaper) payment methods was a central aspect of the Epic v. Apple trial in 2021.

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