Supreme Court Will Hear Apple's Appeal in Epic Games App Store Fight
The Supreme Court will review Apple's appeal against a contempt ruling concerning its App Store linking rules. Apple is pleased the court will hear their case, which stems from a dispute with Epic Games. Initially, Apple largely won an antitrust case against Epic, but was ordered to allow developers to link to outside payment options. Apple complied by allowing link-outs but imposed fees, which developers found problematic. Epic accused Apple of violating the judge's order, leading to a contempt finding for imposing excessive fees. Apple appealed this contempt ruling, arguing it was based on the "spirit" rather than the explicit wording of the original order. The company contends that a contempt ruling based on "spirit" is an abuse of power. Furthermore, Apple argues the injunction should only apply to Epic Games, not all developers, citing precedent against universal injunctions. Apple believes the contempt ruling and policy changes could significantly impact the global app market, which may have influenced the Supreme Court's decision to hear the case. The Supreme Court is expected to hear the case in October, while Apple also faces proceedings in district court regarding fee calculations.