Epic Games and Spotify are making big moves by testing Apple’s latest App Store rules, which were recently updated after a court ruling forced Apple to be more flexible. Both companies submitted new versions of their apps to Apple’s App Review on Friday, marking a major shift in how developers can operate on the platform.

Fortnite May Return to the App Store

Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite, is now working to bring the highly popular title back to the App Store. In 2020, Apple deleted Fortnite and subsequently shut down Epic’s developer account after the company inserted a direct payment functionality into the app, simply bypassing Apple’s in-app purchase system. As a result, this created notoriety for a famous antitrust lawsuit with Apple.

Now that Apple has been ordered by the court to allow more freedom for developers, Epic is trying to re-enter the App Store under the new, more open rules.

Spotify Wants More Audiobook Flexibility

Spotify is also testing these new policies. It wants to let users buy individual audiobooks directly through its app and allow Premium subscribers to purchase additional listening hours once they go beyond the 15 free hours they receive monthly. These updates follow Apple’s recent approval of the Amazon Kindle app, which for the first time added a “Buy Book” button. Spotify had also received Apple’s approval last week to show U.S. users subscription pricing details within its app.

More Apps Expected to Follow

As Apple opens up its App Store under legal pressure, it is expected that more companies will take advantage of the new rules. The shift could create new opportunities for developers of all sizes, but especially for big players like Epic and Spotify.

Background: The Legal Fight and Policy Changes

The changes come after Apple lost a key part of a legal battle against Epic Games. A federal judge ruled that Apple failed to comply with earlier court orders related to in-app purchases and directed the company to make its policies more competitive.

Previously, Apple forced developers to request special permission to link out to external payment websites. Even then, Apple dictated the design of those links and included warning screens that discouraged users from completing purchases outside the App Store. Apple also charged a 27% commission on web-based sales, only slightly down from the usual 30%.

The judge determined that these tactics were still anti-competitive and not in line with the spirit of the ruling. As a result, Apple is now required to let developers include web links for external purchases without added restrictions or fees.

Impact on Developers

We do see how some changes might be a gain for larger tech companies such as Epic and Spotify in an effort to increase revenue by avoiding hefty App Store commissions. However, developers could find themselves with even harder competition in the market under these changes, even if they do represent an increase in control of sales models for them.

What This Means Going Forward

This moment marks a turning point for the App Store ecosystem. With Fortnite potentially making a comeback and Spotify expanding its features, Apple is entering a new era of openness not by choice, but by court order. And this could reshape how millions of users experience apps and make purchases on their iPhones.