Apple’s yearslong legal war with Epic Games is heading to the Supreme Court. The justices agreed to hear Apple’s appeal contesting a contempt finding tied to its App Store policies, a case that could reshape how digital marketplaces operate and whether alternative payment systems, including crypto-based solutions, can gain a foothold on mobile platforms.
How we got here
The saga started back in August 2020, when Epic Games sued Apple over its 30% commission on in-app purchases and its restrictions preventing developers from directing users to external payment options.
A 2021 ruling largely sided with Apple on the core antitrust claims. But it did issue an injunction prohibiting certain “anti-steering provisions,” the rules that blocked developers from telling users about cheaper payment options outside the App Store.
U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers found in April 2025 that Apple had willfully violated the injunction by implementing a 27% commission on external purchases. The Ninth Circuit partially upheld that contempt finding in December 2025, though it modified some of the proposed remedies. Apple then filed its petition for certiorari in May 2026, asking the Supreme Court to review two core issues: the contempt finding itself and the scope of remedies tied to its App Store policies.
