Apple has suffered a setback in its ongoing antitrust battle with Epic Games. A three-judge panel from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld key parts of a 2025 district court ruling, confirming Apple’s contempt for failing to comply with a 2021 order. While Apple is barred from blocking developers from using external payment links, the court left room for the company to charge “reasonable fees” on such transactions. This ruling keeps the spotlight on Apple’s App Store policies and their impact on developers.
The original ruling from Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers highlighted Apple’s repeated attempts to hinder external payment options. Apple had imposed a 27% fee on outside transactions, restricted external links to plain text instead of buttons, and displayed full-screen warnings to users. The court found these measures intentionally made it difficult for developers to direct customers outside Apple’s payment system, signaling Apple’s unwillingness to follow prior injunctions.
The Ninth Circuit agreed that Apple’s compliance attempts were superficial. According to the panel, Apple prohibited developers from using buttons or other calls to action without paying prohibitive commissions. However, the court clarified that the district court went too far in banning all fees for external purchases, describing this as an overreach that abused judicial discretion.
While Apple cannot block external links or make them less visible than in-app purchases, the court recommended that Apple may impose “appropriate” fees. These fees should reflect the cost of coordinating external link purchases. The decision attempts to balance developer freedom with Apple’s operational needs, allowing the company to earn some revenue without coercion.
The court also confirmed Apple can control the design of external links. Developers may not make buttons or links larger, more prominent, or more numerous than Apple’s own options. This preserves Apple’s interface while giving users and developers more flexibility in payment choices.
This ruling marks another pivotal moment in the broader fight over app store control and antitrust regulation. It may influence how Apple, Google, and other tech giants handle external payments and developer freedom. The decision also highlights ongoing scrutiny from regulators, developers, and consumers on monopolistic practices in digital marketplaces.
Apple and Epic Games have not commented on the ruling. The district court will now review the appeals panel’s guidance on fees and compliance. Both companies face high stakes, with potential implications for App Store revenue, developer relations, and future antitrust cases.
For mobile app developers, the decision is a win. They now have clearer rights to use external payment systems without facing excessive fees or design restrictions. While Apple retains some control over appearance and reasonable commissions, this ruling strengthens developer autonomy and could inspire similar challenges across other platforms.
𝗦𝗲𝗺𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁, 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀.
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