Apple Wins Reprieve from Supreme Court on App Store Payment Rules

The US Supreme Court has rejected Epic Games' bid to force Apple to immediately change its App Store payment rules, as reported by Reuters. This development is the latest in the ongoing dispute between Epic and Apple, which began in 2021. The conflict started when Epic attempted to sell Fortnite's virtual currency directly to iOS users, thereby avoiding Apple's payment processing system and the associated 30% revenue cut. The case concluded with US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers largely ruling in favor of Apple, but ordering the company to end its anti-steering practices and allow developers to use alternative payment processors in the App Store. Following Apple's appeal, a panel of judges delayed the implementation of this order until the appeal is resolved. Earlier this year, a US appeals court upheld the initial ruling, but the original order to open up App Store payments to alternative processors remains on hold as Apple prepares to appeal to the Supreme Court.