Apple’s App Store empire is under siege as the company slowly loses its grip on it

In-app purchase troubles

At first glance, this might seem like a small change, but it hits Apple right where it hurts. Almost all the App Store’s money comes from in-app purchases, especially in games. If developers start sending users elsewhere to pay, Apple loses both money and control. Gurman points out that while this only affects the U.S. for now, it could quickly spread to other countries where regulators are watching closely.

The pressure is also building from inside the ecosystem. Many developers who built their success on the App Store are now big enough to push back. Their main complaint? Apple's fees are too high for what they're getting. Other payment services like Stripe or PayPal charge around 3 percent, which makes Apple's 15 to 30 percent cut feel steep by comparison.

AI delays and rising iPhone prices

And it's not just about payments. Apple is also behind in another key area: artificial intelligence. Gurman says the company is still trying to catch up to rivals like Google and OpenAI when it comes to generative AI. Apple Intelligence, its big push into the space, is still missing in action. Siri hasn't seen major upgrades, and users are starting to notice. For a company that prides itself on premium experiences, falling behind in AI is a problem.

Put all that together (legal challenges, AI delays, and developer pushback) and Apple's grip on the digital services space looks a lot weaker than it used to. And that comes at a time when the company is also expected to raise iPhone prices, possibly as soon as this year. Asking developers to pay more while charging customers more is a tough balance to strike.

What can Apple do at this point?

So what can Apple do from here? Gurman expects the company to keep fighting the U.S. ruling in higher courts, hoping to delay or reverse the decision. But legal fights take time, and developers are already starting to explore other options. Outside of court, Apple may need to take a more flexible approach to keep developers onboard.

That could mean lowering commission rates, offering better tools and support, or even promoting Apple’s own payment system as the safer, more private option. If developers are allowed to offer outside payment methods, Apple will have to make the case that sticking with its system is still worth it.

It’s even possible Apple might have to compete with other payment services on its own platform — a scenario that would have been hard to imagine just a few years ago. For a company known for control and consistency, opening the door to third-party payment options will be a major shift.

As Gurman puts it, the platform wars are changing. Apple used to have total control over how apps were sold and how people paid. Now that model is being challenged from every direction. Developers want more freedom, users want more choice, and regulators want more competition.

Apple's next steps will help define what the App Store looks like over the next decade. If it chooses to evolve, it could maintain its influence in a changing market. If it digs in too hard, it risks pushing developers away and losing ground to platforms that are faster to adapt.

What happens next won’t just affect Apple, but actually reshape the entire app economy. And for the first time in a long time, Apple may not be the one setting the rules.