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Apple Appeals Epic Games Ruling Over 'Anti-Steering' Provisions to U.S. Supreme Court

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Just a day after Epic Games appealed one portion of its legal dispute with Apple to the U.S. Supreme Court, Apple has now done the same for the portion that was ruled in Epic's favor, reports Bloomberg.

app store blue banner epic 1
The dispute between Apple and Epic dates back to 2020 with Epic seeking to overturn Apple's App Store rules requiring content purchases within iOS apps to go through Apple, which takes a 15% to 30% cut of the revenue.

In multiple rounds of the dispute, Apple has won on every count with the exception of one regarding Apple's "anti-steering" rule that bars developers of many iOS apps from directing users to methods of purchase available outside of the ‌App Store‌, circumventing Apple's revenue cut.

Apple had said it was considering appealing the ruling over its anti-steering provision to the Supreme Court, and back in July a judge ruled that Apple did not have to make changes to its policies pending the potential appeal, which has now been filed.

The Supreme Court will decide in the coming months whether it will hear either or both of Epic's and Apple's appeals, but if it does not take up either petition, the previous rulings will stand. Apple would be able to continue to disallow third-party payment processing within apps but would have to allow developers to inform users about other purchasing options outside of the ‌App Store‌.

Tags: Epic Games, Epic Games vs. Apple Guide

Top Rated Comments

erikkfi Avatar
erikkfi
33 months ago
I hope my preferred, soulless giant corporation prevails in this fight over the other side's preferred, soulless giant corporation.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
J
JimmyHook
33 months ago

I hope Epic wins this in the end. I'm not an Epic fan at all, but Apple is way too big to behave they way it behaves and is definitely stifling competition and innovation at this point.

Taking a 30% cut of every mobile platform transaction when you're one out of two mobile platforms, the other of which is doing the exact same thing, is outrageous.

Google and Apple are enjoying a pseudo-competitive situation, in reality there's no competition and it's an implicit cartel. A duopoly is not a competitive situation, there is absolutely zero pricing pressure on either company because they both know they are the only two platforms available and too big and established for anybody else to have a chance to enter the ring.

I really don't understand why everybody is rooting for Apple so badly on this topic, it's a classical case of consumers rooting against their own interests.
You also just described the video game console market. And several other existing markets. Generally, if you develop a platform, you own the rules.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
sw1tcher
33 months ago

I really don't understand why everybody is rooting for Apple so badly on this topic, it's a classical case of consumers rooting against their own interests.
1) Apple is never in the wrong. Ever.
2) Defend Apple no matter what.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
O
omihek
33 months ago
It would be hilarious if the Supreme Court decided to hear only Apple's appeal and not Epic's
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GMShadow Avatar
GMShadow
33 months ago

I hope Epic wins this in the end. I'm not an Epic fan at all, but Apple is way too big to behave the way it behaves and is definitely stifling competition and innovation at this point.

Taking a 30% cut of every mobile platform transaction when you're one out of two mobile platforms, the other of which is doing the exact same thing, is outrageous.

Google and Apple are enjoying a pseudo-competitive situation, in reality there's no competition and it's an implicit cartel. A duopoly is not a competitive situation, there is absolutely zero pricing pressure on either company because they both know they are the only two platforms available and too big and established for anybody else to have a chance to enter the ring.

I really don't understand why everybody is rooting for Apple so badly on this topic, it's a classical case of consumers rooting against their own interests.

You do realize it's you, the consumer, who ends up paying those 30% extra, right? It's not Epic or Spotify or any other company. It's the consumer for whom things are more expensive, only for the most valuable company in the world to become even richer.

Whether or not you like Epic is beside the point. You can still hate Epic, and of course they are fighting this fight for selfish reasons, but they just happen to be the only ones stepping up to challenge Apple to adopt more consumer-friendly App Store practices, so we should all be thankful for that.
Do you actually believe that prices would drop by 30% if the fee were eliminated?

Do you believe stores should be forced to sell products for free?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
A
alexe
33 months ago
I hope Epic wins this in the end. I'm not an Epic fan at all, but Apple is way too big to behave the way it behaves and is definitely stifling competition and innovation at this point.

Taking a 30% cut of every mobile platform transaction when you're one out of two mobile platforms, the other of which is doing the exact same thing, is outrageous.

Google and Apple are enjoying a pseudo-competitive situation, in reality there's no competition and it's an implicit cartel. A duopoly is not a competitive situation, there is absolutely zero pricing pressure on either company because they both know they are the only two platforms available and too big and established for anybody else to have a chance to enter the ring.

I really don't understand why everybody is rooting for Apple so badly on this topic, it's a classical case of consumers rooting against their own interests.

You do realize it's you, the consumer, who ends up paying those 30% extra, right? It's not Epic or Spotify or any other company. It's the consumer for whom things are more expensive, only for the most valuable company in the world to become even richer.

Whether or not you like Epic is beside the point. You can still hate Epic, and of course they are fighting this fight for selfish reasons, but they just happen to be the only ones stepping up to challenge Apple to adopt more consumer-friendly App Store practices, so we should all be thankful for that.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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