Epic Games today filed a petition for a writ of certiorari with the Supreme Court, which basically means the company is asking the Supreme Court to make a ruling in its ongoing legal battle with Apple.
The Supreme Court is the last stop for Epic Games after it lost an appeal earlier this year. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in April 2023 sided with the lower court and ruled that Apple's App Store rules do not violate antitrust law by not allowing for third-party marketplaces.
Since 2020, Epic has been pushing for a ruling that would allow it to skirt the App Store and offer apps directly to consumers through sideloading or an alternate store, but its legal arguments have not been successful. Epic ultimately wants to sell digital skins and other goods to its Fortnite customers without having to give Apple a 30 percent cut of its proceeds.
Epic also offers digital goods--such as outfits--that users can purchase for use within Fortnite. Epic has invested vast sums in developing not just Fortnite but those digital add-ons, to which Apple contributes nothing. But Apple required Epic to use its IAP and pay the 30% commission on every in-app purchase that any iPhone user made directly from Epic, no matter how many years after downloading Fortnite from the App Store.
Epic's 488 page filing lists several reasons why the Supreme Court should hear the case, focusing on errors made by the lower courts and the significance of the case, as any major App Store change would impact hundreds of thousands of developers.
The Supreme Court could opt not to hear Epic's case, and it only accepts a fraction of the cases that it is asked to review each year.
When the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals made its decision, it upheld the ruling of the lower court, including the mandate that Apple allow developers to direct customers to purchase options outside of the App Store. Apple does not want to make these App Store changes, and so it too may ask the Supreme Court to make a ruling on that portion of the case.
Apple back in in July was given 90 days after the appeals court ruling to decide whether it would petition the Supreme Court. Apple has not yet contacted the Supreme Court, nor has it hit that 90 day limit. When the 90-day limit expires, Apple will either need to ask the Supreme Court to hear the case or implement the App Store changes that it has been ordered to make.
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 ...
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Below, we recap the key...
Apple may have updated several iPads and Macs late last year and early this year, but there are still multiple new devices that we're looking forward to seeing in 2025. Most will come in September or October, but there could be a few surprises before then.
We've rounded up a list of everything that we're still waiting to see from Apple in 2025.
iPhone 17, 17 Air, and 17 Pro - We get...
Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone (or "iPhone Fold") will feature two screens as part of its book-style design, and a Chinese leaker claims to know the resolutions for both of them.
According to the Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station, the inner display, which is approximately 7.76 inches, will use a 2,713 x 1,920 resolution and feature "under-screen camera technology." Meanwhile, the...
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If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed.
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Apple has confirmed that it will be permanently closing its retail store in the heart of Bristol, England, and there is no replacement in sight.
Apple Bristol in 2023
Apple Bristol will be closing its doors on Saturday, August 9, due to redevelopment plans at the Cabot Circus Shopping Centre, and the adjacent Bristol Shopping Quarter. According to news reports, and a building application, the ...
Apple today updated its vintage products list to add the 2018 Mac mini and the iPhone 6s, devices that will get more limited service and repairs now that they are considered vintage.
The iPhone 6s initially launched in 2015, but Apple kept it around as a low-cost device until 2018, which is why it is only now being added to the vintage list. The iPhone 6s had Apple's A9 chip, and it was...
In line with reseller leaks from last month, Apple's Beats brand is launching its first-ever set of charging cables today. Available in up to four color options, the new cables include USB-C to USB-C, USB-A to USB-C, and USB-C to Lightning options.
All three cable types are available in 1.5-meter (5-foot) and 20-centimeter (8-inch) lengths and both lengths are priced at $18.99 for a single...
Good luck with that. Tim Sweeney acted in bad faith, planting a trojan horse in his software, knowingly breaking the App Store rules, lost in court, lost his appeal and now wants to waste the Supreme Court's time? They'll toss this with due haste.
Epic ultimately wants to sell digital skins and other goods to its Fortnite customers without having to give Apple a 30 percent cut of its proceeds.
When asked if they’re fine with giving Nintendo and Sony their cut of its proceeds, the spokesperson scurried away into the night emitting a high pitched screech. Then exploded in the distance.
