US Supreme Court Upholds Ruling in Epic Games vs Apple Case

The US Supreme Court has declined to hear appeals from both Epic Games and Apple, thereby upholding the original 2021 antitrust ruling. A recent court order denies the appeals, resulting in a win for Apple, with the exception of one Epic count. The upheld count requires Apple to cease its anti-steering practices, enabling developers to link to direct payment options that bypass the 30% fee imposed by Apple. Initially, Judge Yvonne Gonzales Rogers made this ruling in the 2021 trial, but both parties appealed, first to the Ninth Court of Appeals and then to the Supreme Court. While Apple has delayed changing its anti-steering practices during the appeals process, the Supreme Court's decision is expected to soon allow developers to direct users to alternative payment systems. The dispute began in 2020 when Epic introduced a Fortnite hotfix on iOS, permitting players to purchase virtual currency directly from the developer and avoiding Apple's 30% cut. In response, Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store, prompting Epic to file an antitrust lawsuit, which was also filed against Google on Android. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney expressed his disappointment with the decision on social media, stating that the court battle to open iOS to competing stores and payments has been lost in the US, which he considers a sad outcome for all developers. Apple may need to implement significant changes in Europe with the upcoming Digital Markets Act, set to take effect on March 7, 2024, which aims to prevent gatekeepers like Apple from prioritizing their own products and services over those of other companies. Epic Games continues to challenge Apple in other markets, including Australia, and has also filed a lawsuit in the UK, although it was blocked by the UK Competition Tribunal. The outcome of Epic vs Apple in the US contrasts with the recent jury decision in the Epic vs Google case, where the jury ruled that Google operates an illegal monopoly on Android, particularly with regards to its payment system requirements and 30% fee. Google plans to appeal this decision.