Apple's $100M settlement with developers gets preliminary approval

Apple's proposed $100 million payment to settle a lawsuit brought against the company by App Store developers has received preliminary approval from the judge presiding over the case.

U.S. District Court Judge Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers on Tuesday gave her preliminary approval for the settlement, which would create a $100 million developer fund that app makers can access based on their App Store revenue history.

Developers who made $1 million or less from the App Store in the U.S. between June 2015 and April 2021 stand to receive payments between $250 and $30,000.

Eligible developers can sign up to be alerted when the settlement receives final approval. There's already a website for developers to accept claims once the settlement gets the official green light, though it's not currently active.

In addition to the $100 million developer fund, the settlement also makes some App Store policy concessions, including expanded pricing options for apps and a pledge to continue a 15% small business commission. The company will also release an App Store Transparency Report that will include key statistics about the app review process, customer accounts, and more.

Although the lawsuit originated in the U.S. back in 2019, the App Store changes will apply to developers globally.

Judge Gonzalez Rogers is also presiding over the Epic Games v. Apple lawsuit, which both companies have appealed. Although Apple largely came out on top, the judge's ruling required that the company nix its prohibition on in-app links or buttons for alternative payments.