Apple Inc. settled a wide-ranging class action lawsuit with U.S. app makers Thursday without agreeing to major changes to its policies, a victory for a company facing criticism that it wields too much power.
The settlement will include $100 million worth of payments to app makers ranging from $250 to $30,000 per developer, according to law firm Hagens Berman, which represented plaintiffs claiming Apple overcharged them fees for distributing their programs through the iOS App Store. A new advertising policy, meanwhile, will make it easier for developers to promote alternative pricing plans and ways to pay — without Apple taking a cut.