Skip to content
Tech News
← Back to articles

Apple gears up for another Supreme Court round in Epic Games saga

read original get Apple iPhone 15 → more articles
Why This Matters

Apple's decision to seek Supreme Court review in the Epic Games case highlights the ongoing legal battles over App Store policies and the company's control over its ecosystem. The case could have significant implications for app store regulations, developer restrictions, and consumer choice in the tech industry. A ruling in favor of Apple might reinforce its current business model, while a decision against it could lead to increased regulatory scrutiny and changes in app distribution practices.

Key Takeaways

As expected, Apple has filed a motion signaling that it plans to ask the Supreme Court to review its latest setback in the Epic Games case. Here are the details.

A bit of context

A few days ago, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit unanimously denied Apple’s request to revisit a decision that favored Epic Games in its longstanding battle with the Fortnite developer.

The decision in question, Apple argued, created confusion around what it would actually be allowed to charge for purchases made outside the App Store.

As we covered last week:

“In a nutshell, Apple pointed to two possible interpretations: one limiting it to charging only the direct costs of supporting external purchases, while the other would allow it to collect a broader commission tied to the value of the App Store and its ecosystem.”

With that in mind, Apple pursued a two-pronged strategy in its appeal. It asked for a rehearing before the same three-judge panel that originally heard the case, and also sought an en banc review by the full Ninth Circuit.

Both requests were denied, effectively leaving Apple with little recourse short of taking the case to the Supreme Court.

Now, Apple has signaled that it will do just that.

Apple’s new request

... continue reading