In August, Apple decided that it would pay $100 million to settle a class-action lawsuit against it. The company also said that it would bring about changes to the App Store that would benefit developers. It is now being reported that the settlement offer by the iPhone maker has been approved by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez-Rogers.
The Epic v. Apple lawsuit is also being overseen by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez-Rogers. The new agreement of Apple to settle the case requires that the iPhone maker create a new fund worth $100 million for developers. Based on the data of the App Store for previous years, certain developers will receive some money from the fund.
Based on the activeness of developers
The details of the disbursement of the fund states that developers who made less than $1 million during the period of 4 June, 2015 to 26 April, 2021 will be eligible to receive money between $250 and $30,000. The allocation of the payment amount will be decided based on the activeness of the developers in the App Store during the period.
“From the beginning, the App Store has been an economic miracle; it is the safest and most trusted place for users to get apps, and an incredible business opportunity for developers to innovate, thrive, and grow,” said Phil Schiller in August, who is now an Apple Fellow. “We would like to thank the developers who worked with us to reach these agreements in support of the goals of the App Store and to the benefit of all of our users.”
The lawsuit was filed back in 2019 by a group of iOS developers who believed that Apple was using its monopoly powers to impose heavy commissions. When the settlement offer by Apple is approved, developers will be able to file a claim with the iPhone maker to receive certain amount from the fund.