Apple requests that the contempt order in the case against Epic Games be reviewed by the US Supreme Court
Apple has requested that the U.S. Supreme Court revisit a lower court decision that declared the iPhone manufacturer to be in civil contempt for charging fees on specific in-app purchases made by users of its App Store.
The Supreme Court petition escalates a protracted legal dispute with Epic Games, the maker of the video game «Fortnite,» which filed a lawsuit against Apple in 2020 to relax its control over transactions in apps utilizing the company’s iOS operating system and its limitations on consumer app distribution.
In 2021, a judge ordered Apple to permit developers to incorporate links in their apps that take users to payment methods outside of Apple, even though the judge had largely rejected Epic’s claim.
Apple allowed the links but imposed new restrictions, including a 27% commission on developers for purchases made through payment systems outside the App Store within seven days of clicking on a link.
Epic argued that the new 27% commission violated the previous court order. In 2025, the judge held Apple in civil contempt for violating the court order.
