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Familiar Contenders…
Apple has once again appeared in a U.S. court. On Tuesday, the company presented its argument before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to challenge a ruling by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. Previously, she had found Apple in violation of an injunction concerning alternative payment systems in the App Store.
Judge Rogers had determined that Apple had deliberately disregarded
a 2021 order that required it to allow developers to offer payment systems other than the one integrated into the App Store. Apple, on the other hand, argues that the court overstepped its boundaries and misinterpreted the scope of the original decision.
Apple Argues a “Misinterpretation”
During the hearing — which was made public by the Court — Apple’s lawyers claimed that Judge Rogers exceeded her authority by forbidding any commission on purchases made outside of the App Store.
If the court believed our interpretation was wrong, the correct response would have been clarification, not a contempt ruling
, stated Gregory Garre, Apple’s lead attorney.
The company maintains that it never intended to violate the order, but rather applied a commission it deemed reasonable. According to Apple, Epic Games should not expect free access to its user base, hardware, and tools while still using external payments. For Epic, Apple took a calculated risk by knowingly breaching the decision.
Judges Seemingly Leaning Towards Apple
According to onlookers, several appellate judges appeared receptive to Apple’s arguments. One of them even noted that the original injunction did not explicitly forbid Apple from collecting a commission on external payments — while acknowledging that the company had likely made
the process strategically complex. No decision has been made yet, and a verdict is not expected until 2026.
A Prolonged Legal Battle Since 2020
This latest chapter is part of a legal saga that began in 2020 when Epic Games bypassed Apple’s payment system to offer direct purchases in Fortnite. This move led to the game’s removal from the App Store and sparked a global legal struggle over Apple’s practices and the commissions it imposes on developers. Five years later, the conflict remains intense — but this time, the scales might be tipping slightly in favor of Cupertino.