Apple Loses Court Bid to Delay App Store Rule Changes in Epic Games Dispute

Apple has suffered another legal blow in its ongoing battle with Epic Games, with a US federal appeals court rejecting the tech giant’s bid to delay court-mandated changes to its App Store rules.

The ruling means Apple must immediately allow developers to direct users to external websites for in-app purchases, bypassing Apple’s longstanding commission system.

The court’s decision upholds an April ruling that found Apple had violated a 2021 injunction aimed at curbing anti-competitive behaviour under California law.

Apple had asked for a pause while it appeals the decision, arguing the changes would cause “grave irreparable harm” and result in lost revenue amounting to hundreds of millions, if not billions.

However, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals was not convinced, stating that Apple failed to justify the need for a stay.

In a statement, Apple expressed disappointment and reiterated its belief that the original ruling was flawed.

“We strongly disagree with the district court’s opinion. Our goal is to ensure the App Store remains an incredible opportunity for developers and a safe and trusted experience for our users.”

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney celebrated the ruling, declaring on social media, “The long national nightmare of the Apple tax is ended.”

The court’s decision prevents Apple from charging developers any fee for purchases made through external links and bars it from dictating how such links should look or function. Major developers like Amazon, Spotify and Patreon have already updated their apps to take advantage of the changes.

This latest defeat highlights a shifting power dynamic in the mobile app market, and one that could significantly alter how app revenue is generated and shared globally.

While Apple continues to pursue appeals, the current ruling stands, signalling a potential end to the era of mandatory in-app commissions for developers operating within the App Store.