Apple and Epic Games Return to Court to Fight Over App Store Rules
The ongoing legal battle between Apple and Epic Games resumed today, with lawyers for both companies meeting in the United States Court of Appeals to attempt to get the initial ruling from last year overturned.
The Epic Games v. Apple saga started way back in 2020 when Epic Games started allowing Fortnite players to make purchases directly in the app, skirting the in-app purchase rules. Apple quickly pulled the Fortnite app from the App Store, and Epic Games was ready with an antitrust lawsuit over Apple's App Store rules.
Epic Games aimed to get the court to allow for third-party app stores and alternate methods of getting apps on iOS devices, but Epic Games largely lost the lawsuit, leading it to file an appeal. Apple won the antitrust suit, but was ordered to allow developers to add in-app links to outside websites where payments could be accepted.
Apple does not want to change its App Store rules and also appealed, leading to the court battle today. Epic Games will argue that the court made "multiple legal errors" in its initial ruling, once again arguing for sideloading to be allowed.
Apple maintains that Epic Games lost the trial because of "unprecedented" and "unfounded" accusations of anticompetitive conduct that ultimately did not sway the judge. Epic, says Apple, made far-reaching claims at the edges of antitrust law, and there is no basis for the ruling to be overturned on appeal. Apple will also argue that the original court made an error when implementing an injunction that will force App Store changes.
Apple claims that because it was not found to be engaging in anticompetitive behavior, the App Store rules are not unfair and the district court did not have the authority to mandate an injunction.
The Epic Games v. Apple appeal will kick off in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time. The appeal is being livestreamed on YouTube for those who are interested in watching.
Popular Stories
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too.
2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3
Apple didn't update the...
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device.
Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
We've known for quite some time about Apple's plans for a thinner "iPhone 17 Air" coming later this year, but wow, the latest dummy models give us our best look yet at just how thin this phone is going to be.
Other Apple news and rumors this week included another iOS 18.5 beta, the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch launch, and more management reshuffling in Apple's Siri division, so read...
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report.
iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design
The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
If you missed the video showing dummy models of Apple's all-new super thin iPhone 17 Air that's expected later this year, Sonny Dickson this morning shared some further images of the device in close alignment with the other dummy models in the iPhone 17 lineup, indicating just how thin it is likely to be in comparison.
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be around 5.5mm thick – with a thicker ...
