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.

fortnite apple featured
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.

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Top Rated Comments

cocky jeremy Avatar
35 months ago
Good. Bury them. I hope Apple puts them out of business.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
geartau Avatar
35 months ago
App Store is fair. Don't like it? Don't build for it. It's very simple.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
35 months ago
Just give it up Epic Games. If you want to play in Apple’s land. You have to abide by Apple App Store rules point, blank, period
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Morgenland Avatar
35 months ago
From a European perspective, the whole thing is pretty boring.
Again MacRumors brings out their favorite pin up. Do you editors really like the lady's thigh that much?



Attachment Image
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
genovelle Avatar
35 months ago

Ohh Apple, give up and make the best of the situation, save the money and invest in your development.
Even if Epic lose here, Antitrust Laws are coming all over the world incl. EU's DMA and DSA, even in the US something is cooking, and they will override all this outcome anyway.
You do realize the Apple store is a gift to developers they don’t have to offer for just $100 a month and a percentage of sales if they use their platform to find customers instead of finding them elsewhere? If this model becomes unprofitable it will be canceled and a single subscription model will rise up to replace it. 3rd parties with be locked out unless they develop directly for Apple or move to a webapp and can find their own customer. The current App Store model that they used to create a developer ecosystem that is accessible to small and micro developers will die.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
xkam1x Avatar
35 months ago
Bless thy ambitions
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)