It was reported on October 21 that Apple is applying to the federal appeals court to overturn a judge’s previous finding that it “willfully” ignored a court order that allowed developers to link to cheaper payment options outside the App Store.
The legal dispute between Apple and Epic has once again entered a new round. Apple is once again challenging a 2021 ruling that requires it to allow app developers to link to external payment methods to provide lower price options. The judgment will not be officially implemented until 2024. The external link system that Apple subsequently implemented was considered by the industry to be too complex and difficult to use.
In April 2025, the court found that Apple "willfully" violated the order of U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers and failed to open the App Store to support alternative payment methods as ordered. It is the confusion surrounding this system that has prompted Apple to return to court this time. Bloomberg reports that Apple is currently contesting the order in the U.S. Federal Court of Appeal.
The dispute between Apple and Epic has been going on for five years. The dispute between the two parties began in 2020, when Epic blatantly ignored App Store rules and provided links to external payment platforms in the app to circumvent Apple's 30% commission.