Apple is set to escalate its ongoing legal dispute with Epic Games by seeking a review from the U.S. Supreme Court. This request follows the Ninth Circuit Court's recent ruling that limited Apple's ability to charge for external payments, which Apple is contesting. On April 6, the court approved a motion by Apple to pause the ruling, prompting an immediate challenge from Epic Games.
The conflict originated in 2020 when Epic Games incorporated external payment options within its app to avoid Apple’s App Store fees. Although Apple initially emerged victorious in a 2021 court ruling that deemed it not a monopoly, the judge mandated that the company permit developers to link to external payment systems. In response, Apple began allowing these payments but imposed a 27% commission, only slightly lower than its standard 30% fee.
Epic contends that this commission violates court orders and does not lead to savings for developers, as they still incur payment processing fees. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California found Apple in contempt, a decision later upheld by the Ninth Circuit in December 2025, which stated that Apple’s fee undermined the allowance of external payments. As the case returns to a lower court for further consideration, Apple plans to challenge the contempt ruling in the Supreme Court, disputing the legal standards applied and asserting that its fees cover more than just payment processing.