On 22 October 2026 the Federal Court ordered Apple to open up the iPhone in Australia. From 1 March 2027, apps can be offered through rival app stores or by direct download, and apps can take payment without using Apple’s system. Apple has said it will appeal and ask for the orders to be paused, so that date may move. If your business has an app, or is planning one, this is what the orders say and what to do in the meantime. For how we build and publish apps, see mobile app development.
What the court ordered
The orders were made by Justice Jonathan Beach in the long-running case brought by Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite. As reported by ABC News, MacRumors and Information Age, Apple must:
- Allow rival app stores, and direct downloads from the web, on iPhones in Australia.
- Let apps use other payment systems and link out to pay on the web, without also having to offer Apple’s.
- Charge nothing for access to those other channels, and take no cut of purchases in apps that are distributed outside the App Store.
- For apps that stay in the App Store but use another payment system, keep its fee to what it charges for physical goods (currently nothing) plus genuine extra costs.
Apple keeps some control. It can still run an automated security and privacy check on apps before they are installed, and it does not have to list rival stores inside its own App Store.
| Today | From 1 March 2027, unless paused | |
|---|---|---|
| Where iPhone apps come from | The App Store only | The App Store, rival stores or direct download |
| Paying for digital goods in an app | Apple’s system | Apple’s system, your own, or a link to the web |
| Apple’s cut outside its store | Not applicable | None |
| Security check by Apple | Yes | Yes |
When it starts, and why the date could move
The changes are due by 1 March 2027, and Apple can ask the court to extend that to 3 May 2027. Apple’s response was direct: “We will request a stay and appeal the outcome to seek a resolution that respects our intellectual property.” A stay would pause the orders while the appeal is heard. Until a court rules on that, treat March 2027 as the earliest date, not a certain one.
- 12 August 2025Court finds against Apple and GoogleBoth misused their market power in app distribution and payments
- 30 September 2026Google’s new Play fees start in AustraliaPart of its settlement with Epic Games
- 22 October 2026Orders made against AppleRival stores and other payments must be allowed
- 1 March 2027Changes dueApple may ask to extend this to 3 May 2027
Who it applies to
The orders cover the Australian App Store and people with Australian Apple accounts. The court declined to make them worldwide. It does not matter where the developer is based, so an Australian business and an overseas one are treated the same for their Australian customers. Apple has not yet published how developers will switch on the new options, so there is nothing to apply for today.
What about Android?
Google took a different path and settled with Epic. The ACCC gave the arrangement its final authorisation on 2 September 2026, and Google has already changed what it charges. Its service fee page lists new rates for purchases by Australian users from 30 September 2026: 10% on subscriptions and 20% on other purchases from new installs, each with a 5% billing fee when Google’s own billing is used. Check that page for the detail, because the rate depends on the type of purchase and when the customer installed the app.
Sources: ABC News for Apple’s range, and Apple’s and Google’s developer pages linked in this article. Google’s rates are for purchases by Australian users from new installs, from 30 September 2026.
What this could save you
Today Apple takes a commission on digital goods and subscriptions sold inside an app: 15% for developers in its Small Business Program, which covers up to US$1 million a year, and more above that. On $100,000 of subscriptions, 15% is $15,000 a year.
Taking payments yourself is not free. You pay a card processor, and you take on billing, refunds, tax receipts and the support questions that Apple handles now. For a small app the saving may not be worth the extra work. For an app with steady subscription income, it probably will be.
What to do now
- Change nothing in a hurry. Until the orders take effect, your app must still follow Apple’s current payment rules.
- Work out what you pay in store fees each year, so you know what is at stake.
- If you sell subscriptions, make sure customers can also sign up and pay on your website with the same account. That work pays off whichever way the appeal goes.
- Keep your App Store listing. Most people will still look for apps there.
- Leave room in an early 2027 release for a payments change, once Apple explains how it will comply.
Facts checked on 12 November 2026. This article is based on published reports of the court’s orders and is general information, not legal advice.
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