Apple has lost its latest legal bid to delay a major court order that would force it to ease restrictions in its App Store, following a long-standing antitrust battle with Epic Games.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday rejected Apple’s emergency request to pause the implementation of a district court’s order. This ruling means Apple must now allow app developers to offer alternative payment options outside its App Store ecosystem, which has long been a source of immense profit for the company.
Judge Finds Apple in Contempt
U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who originally presided over the Epic Games antitrust case, had earlier ruled that Apple was in contempt of an injunction she issued back in 2021. That ruling required Apple to allow developers to guide users to non-Apple payment methods, offering consumers potentially lower prices.
However, Judge Gonzalez Rogers stated in April 2024 that Apple had defied the spirit of that order by imposing a new 27% fee on developers who directed users outside the App Store, effectively maintaining the same profit structure under a different name.
Court Blocks Apple’s Restrictions
In her latest order, Gonzalez Rogers prohibited Apple from placing any limits on where developers can post external purchase links. The appeals court upheld this decision, pushing Apple to move forward with the changes.
Apple said in a statement that it was “disappointed with the decision not to stay the district court’s order” and vowed to continue fighting the case during the appeals process.
Epic Accuses Apple of Avoiding Competition
Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, first sued Apple in 2020 in an effort to break the company’s control over iOS app transactions and distribution. The lawsuit gained global attention as it challenged Apple’s 30% commission on in-app purchases, which many developers claimed was monopolistic.
While Apple won most aspects of the case in 2021, the court did rule that it must allow developers more freedom in directing users to outside payment methods. Since then, Epic has accused Apple of undermining the order to protect billions in revenue.
In its legal response, Epic stated that developers have recently begun offering better deals and more choices to users thanks to the increased competition enforced by the court.
Possible Criminal Contempt
Judge Gonzalez Rogers also criticized Apple for misleading the court about its compliance efforts. She referred both Apple and one of its executives to federal prosecutors for a potential criminal contempt investigation.
As the legal battle continues, the ruling marks a significant moment in the fight for a more open app marketplace — one that could reshape how mobile apps operate and how consumers pay for digital goods.
