The 2026 legal landscape | Faceless AI - Dataspheres AI

Three forces cracked the model open The 30% monopoly did not end by choice. Three separate pressures created the openings this course exploits. 1. Epic v. ...

Three forces cracked the model open The 30% monopoly did not end by choice. Three separate pressures created the openings this course exploits. 1. Epic v. Apple (United States) In April 2025 a US court barred Apple from stopping developers linking to outside payment options and, critically, struck down the 27% fee Apple had tried to charge on those external purchases — the court called it a gross miscalculation. As of mid-2026, US external-link purchases carry a 0% Apple commission. But it is not settled: the Ninth Circuit in December 2025 left room for Apple to seek a reasonable commission, and on June 30, 2026 the Supreme Court agreed to hear Apple's appeal. Arguments are expected late 2026 with a ruling likely in 2027. Treat today's 0% as real but reversible. 2. The EU Digital Markets Act The DMA forces Apple and Google to allow steering, external purchases, and alternative app marketplaces in the EU. Apple's response is a reduced but still-present fee stack, described later. The exact fees have been revised repeatedly and were still being negotiated with the European Commission as of mid-2026. 3. Google's re-architected fees Rather than fight a single case, Google split its fee into a service fee and a billing fee starting June 30, 2026. If you take payment on your own website, you skip the billing fee and pay only the service fee. The net effect for most developers is roughly a 10% platform cut instead of 15% or 30%. The through-line: the rules are genuinely in motion. Build so that a change in any one of these does not sink you — a theme we return to at the end. Educational material, not legal or tax advice. App-store rules and the underlying court cases are changing month to month in 2026 — always confirm the current terms in Apple's and Google's own developer documentation before you ship, and get professional advice for your jurisdiction.