Apple Challenges Court Decision Favoring Epic Games in App Payment Dispute

Apple has lodged an appeal against a US court decision that sided with Epic Games regarding the use of third-party payment methods for iOS apps. According to a report by The Verge, the appeal was filed with the Northern District of California Court on May 5, 2025. The ruling, issued last week, prevents Apple from charging fees on purchases made outside its App Store in the US and also bars the company from discouraging developers from promoting external payment options, such as web-based transactions. The court stated that Apple's objective was to 'discourage customers from using alternative purchase options and maintain its anticompetitive revenue stream.' Furthermore, the ruling referred Apple and its vice president of finance, Alex Roman, to the local US attorney's office for potential investigation into criminal contempt, with the judge alleging that Roman 'lied under oath.' Apple had previously indicated its intention to appeal the decision. In response to the ruling, the company has updated its App Review Guidelines in the US to allow developers to promote external payment methods, thereby complying with the court's order.