Apple Loses Bid to Halt App Store Fee Changes Ahead of Supreme Court
▼ Summary
– The Ninth Circuit granted Epic Games’ motion, requiring Apple to continue allowing external payments in apps without charging fees.
– An earlier order had paused App Store changes while Apple sought Supreme Court review, which Epic called a delay tactic.
– The latest ruling reversed Apple’s request to hold changes, forcing the iPhone maker to keep fee adjustments for now.
– The case’s final outcome will decide if Apple can collect fees on external purchases made outside its U.S. App Store.
– The court stated Apple failed to show irreparable harm from keeping changes in place during the legal battle.
Epic Games has secured another legal victory in its ongoing antitrust battle with Apple, as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit granted the Fortnite developer’s latest motion. The ruling forces Apple to continue allowing developers to direct users to external payment options without imposing its standard commission fees, at least for now.
The dispute stems from an earlier order that temporarily paused required App Store policy changes while Apple pursued Supreme Court review. Epic Games dismissed that move as “another delay tactic” and urged the court to reconsider. Now, the latest decision reverses that pause, tilting the balance back in favor of developers and compelling Apple to maintain the fee modifications for the time being.
At the heart of the case is whether Apple can collect commissions on transactions completed outside its U. S. App Store, and if so, what percentage it can charge. The final ruling will have significant implications for the broader app ecosystem and developer revenue models.
On X, Epic celebrated the court’s decision, highlighting the filing’s language: “Apple has failed to show good cause to sustain our prior stay order. Apple has not demonstrated that any proceedings on remand will cause it irreparable harm if our decision is not stayed.” In plain terms, the court was unconvinced that Apple would face serious, irreversible damage if the App Store changes remained in effect during the ongoing legal process.
(Source: TechCrunch)
