Judge Orders Apple to Ease Restrictions on App Developers

The decision could have major implications for thousands of businesses that pay Apple billions of dollars each year.

A federal judge on Friday said Apple can no longer force developers to use its payment system in their apps, a move that will allow companies to avoid Apple’s commission of up to 30 percent on some app sales. The order could upend the economics of a $100 billion online market and is a major setback for Apple, which counts on revenue from its App Store to fuel its expansive profits. The order came as part of the ruling in a prominent legal case between Apple and Epic Games, the maker of the popular game Fortnite that sued Apple last year over its App Store policies.