This ruling reshapes how digital businesses operate and users engage with them, marking a broader shift toward open, direct-to-consumer ecosystems.

The US Court of Appeals has denied Apple’s request to pause a court order mandating changes to its App Store policies. The company failed to persuade the court to discontinue key parts of a federal judge’s order requiring the iPhone maker to immediately open its lucrative App Store to more competition.

Apple must now allow app developers to include web links and external payment options in their iOS apps after a court rejected the company’s attempt to delay a previous ruling. This decision is part of an ongoing legal battle that began in 2020, when Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, sued Apple over the App Store’s strict rules and high fees.