US Supreme Court to hear Apple appeal of contempt in Epic Games lawsuit
The US Supreme Court agreed on Tuesday to hear Apple's bid to escape being found in contempt in its legal fight with "Fortnite" maker Epic Games after the iPhone maker was deemed in violation of a judicial order mandating sweeping changes to its lucrative App Store in the antitrust litigation.
The justices took up Apple's appeal of a lower court's ruling upholding a decision by Oakland, California-based U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers finding Apple in contempt in Epic's 2020 lawsuit contesting App Store fees.
The Supreme Court is expected to hear the case in its next term, which begins in October.
The lawsuit by Cary, North Carolina-based Epic Games challenged Apple's control over transactions in applications that use the company's iOS operating system and its restrictions on how apps are distributed to consumers.
Apple and Epic have clashed for years over the rules governing Apple's App Store. The contempt ruling and the scope of Apple's court-ordered obligations are the latest issues in the dispute to reach the Supreme Court. Apple has said the legal issues in the litigation will affect how millions of app purchases are made.
Cupertino, California-based Apple mostly defeated Epic's lawsuit, but was required in a 2021 injunction issued by Rogers to let developers include links in their apps directing users to non-Apple payment methods.
Apple allowed the links but adopted new restrictions, including a 27% commission on developers for purchases made on payment systems outside the App Store within seven days of clicking a link. Apple charges developers a 30% commission for purchases within the App Store.
The justices took up Apple's appeal of a lower court's ruling upholding a decision by Oakland, California-based U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers finding Apple in contempt in Epic's 2020 lawsuit contesting App Store fees.
The Supreme Court is expected to hear the case in its next term, which begins in October.
The lawsuit by Cary, North Carolina-based Epic Games challenged Apple's control over transactions in applications that use the company's iOS operating system and its restrictions on how apps are distributed to consumers.
Apple and Epic have clashed for years over the rules governing Apple's App Store. The contempt ruling and the scope of Apple's court-ordered obligations are the latest issues in the dispute to reach the Supreme Court. Apple has said the legal issues in the litigation will affect how millions of app purchases are made.
Cupertino, California-based Apple mostly defeated Epic's lawsuit, but was required in a 2021 injunction issued by Rogers to let developers include links in their apps directing users to non-Apple payment methods.
Apple allowed the links but adopted new restrictions, including a 27% commission on developers for purchases made on payment systems outside the App Store within seven days of clicking a link. Apple charges developers a 30% commission for purchases within the App Store.
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