Small App Store developers can now apply to get their portion of a settlement originating from a class action lawsuit levied at Apple by app makers in 2019.
Apple App Store
The lawsuit originated in 2019, when a class of app developers sued Apple for alleged abuses of power like mandatory pricing and the annual App Store fee. In August 2021, Apple settled the lawsuit, which led to the creation of a $100 million fund for small developers.
Now, developers can claim between $250 and $30,000 from the fund's website, which went live on Friday.
Class members who are eligible for a payment include any App Store developer who sold their apps for a price between 2015 and 2021. Members must also have made less than $1 million every calendar year from 2015 to 2021.
In addition to the developer fund, the settlement also included minor changes to Apple's App Store policy. The revised guidelines include modifications related to customer and developer communication, new pricing tiers, and a promise to continue offering its 15% reduced App Store commission for at least three years.
The deadline for class members to submit a claim is May 20, 2022. If a class member wishes to be excluded from the settlement, they have until March 21 to file.