Apple is planning to take its App Store dispute with Epic Games to the US Supreme Court after recent lower court rulings limited how it can charge commissions on payments made outside apps. The case is part of a long legal fight that started in 2020 over the tech titan’s rules requiring in-app purchases to go through its payment system, which traditionally charges developers up to 30% commission on digital transactions. Notably, courts recently found that the tech giant’s revised 27% fee on external payments went against earlier orders meant to give developers more freedom to use alternative payment methods instead of Apple’s in-app billing system.
According to the latest filing, the Tim Cook-led company is now asking the Supreme Court to review these rulings and also trying to pause restrictions that reduce its ability to collect fees from outside transactions while the appeal is ongoing. The firm’s argument centers on the idea that its commission model is not just a payment fee but also covers App Store infrastructure, security systems, app discovery tools, and developer services that support the iOS ecosystem.
The dispute originally began when Epic Games challenged Apple’s App Store policies by introducing its own payment system inside Fortnite, bypassing Apple’s billing system entirely to avoid the 30% cut. Then, Apple responded by removing Fortnite from the App Store, triggering a major antitrust case that examined how tightly Apple controls app distribution and monetization on iPhones. Over time, courts acknowledged that Apple is not a monopoly under antitrust law, but still imposed limits requiring it to allow developers to direct users to external payment options instead of forcing all purchases through Apple’s system.
A key turning point came when courts ordered Apple to open up external payment links, but Apple later introduced revised guidelines that still imposed an estimated 27% commission on purchases made through those external links. Courts later questioned whether this structure complied with the intent of earlier rulings, arguing that it still preserved much of Apple’s original revenue model despite the policy change.
With recent appellate decisions refusing to reconsider earlier rulings, Apple now sees the Supreme Court as its last major legal option. The company is arguing that courts should not be able to dictate how it structures its commercial fees and that its App Store commissions reflect the broader ecosystem it provides, including developer tools, platform security, hosting, and distribution systems.
On the other hand, Epic Games continues to argue that Apple’s system is fundamentally anti-competitive, claiming that even with external payment options, developers are still pushed into paying high fees that resemble the original 30% commission model. The scenario becomes more notable as Epic recently reached a settlement with Google in a separate Play Store dispute, which led to changes in Android’s billing and app distribution rules, further intensifying pressure on Apple’s tightly controlled App Store ecosystem.
Content originally published on The Tech Media – Global technology news, latest gadget news and breaking tech news.
