Apple (largely) loses its enchantment in Epic Video games case

Apple has clawed again a little bit of floor in its authorized combat with Epic Video games that would have wide-reaching penalties for all app builders. Right now, the ninth U.S. Circuit Court docket of Appeals largely upheld a earlier contempt ruling relating to charges Apple levied on third-party cost techniques. Nonetheless, the judges did resolve to reverse the order that Apple can’t cost any commissions on these exterior funds, which was one of many firm’s fundamental arguments on this ongoing debate.

To catch you up, US Decide Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers initially dominated in 2021 that Apple should permit third-party cost techniques, though her determination fell shy of calling the tech firm’s management over the App Retailer a monopoly. In May 2025, she dominated that Apple’s 27 % fee on these exterior funds violated her earlier order. Apple responded with an emergency motion to enchantment that discovering.

Epic Video games had taken its smash hit Fortnite off each the Apple App Retailer and Google Play Retailer whereas it was in court docket arguing these instances. Fortnite returned to iOS within the spring and simply arrived again on Android units at the moment.