Apple Petitions Supreme Court to Hear Appeal on Epic Games Case

Ahead of its upcoming mixed-reality platform release, Apple will ask the US Supreme Court to hear an appeal on whether the company can force developers to use the App Store for in-app payments.

The appeal is the latest move in a legal saga that kicked off in 2020, following game developer Epic’s attempt to encourage players of Fortnite’s iPhone app to pay for in-game purchases using Epic’s website rather than Apple's App Store. The protracted battle saw Fortnite removed from the App Store, where it has yet to return. Importantly, Epic did score a win, as a San Francisco judge ruled that Apple could not prevent developers from providing links or buttons to outside payment options in iPhone apps. The ruling has since been a thorn in Apple’s side, as the company takes a cut on every purchase made through the App Store.

The Cupertino technology giant didn’t walk away from the case without any wins of its own, as the judge also shot down many of Epic’s antitrust claims, which the game developer has already sought to appeal. These could have forced Apple to allow third-party app stores on its devices.

Both companies have appealed the rulings, but according to Reuters, the San Francisco 9th circuit court behind the original ruling declined to hear either argument, leading to the iPhone maker’s petition to the Supreme Court. In a court filing, Apple said that the original case went too far by issuing a nationwide injunction against Apple over a California law.

While the case originated from in-game purchases, it has wider implications for App Store users and antitrust law. Apple’s petition to the Supreme Court promises its appeal will raise “far-reaching and important questions about the limits of a federal court’s authority.”