The already long-running dispute between Apple and Epic Games saw a denial by the US Supreme Court after both companies went forth with their petitions that side their case on the issue. This turns down the aspirations of Epic Games to reinstate Fortnite on the Apple App Store, but that does not mean all hope is lost for the company as its win for third-party iOS payment options remains.
On the other hand, Apple's petition did not see a win for the company, especially as the court's decision still stands for the changes to its policies.
Epic Games, Apple's Petition Denied by the Supreme Court
Epic Games Announces Fortnite's Return to iPhones in EU After Apple ComplianceJoshua Hoehne from Unsplash
A recent decision published by the Supreme Court denied both the petitions made by Apple and Epic Games regarding their appeals on the case that further supports their cause. This centers on the 2023 decision of the Ninth Circuit that ruled for Apple to set up a third-party payment channels option on their App Store for other developers to utilize on their paid services.
Moreover, this previous decision also entails a permanent injunction where developers may have avoided the disputed 30 percent commission rate imposed by the App Store for all purchases made. This centers on the 70-30 split that was said to be a massive cut for Cupertino.
This decision was not something Epic's CEO Tim Sweeney is all too happy about, saying that the battle for the cause is lost, citing that it is a "sad outcome for all developers."
With this, the ruling over Apple's head for the third-party iOS payment options may be coming soon, as this petition was one of Cupertino's moves to delay the changes to the App Store. According to Ars Technica, this is a significant turn of events for Apple as it will be compelled to offer alternative payment channels for developers to use and offer their customers to steer clear of the commission rate.
Apple vs. Epic Games: App Store Dispute
It all started when Epic Games decided to go out of its way and challenge Apple by adding a third-party payment option for its Fortnite app on iOS, and this led to the Cupertino giant banning it from the platform. With this, Epic retaliated with a massive shade video against Apple, popularly known as the "Nineteen-Eighty-Fortnite," and this parody mocks the Super Bowl commercials made by Big Tech.
One of the most monumental events in this case was the court ruling that Apple open up third-party iOS payment options for the App Store platform, something that Epic has fought for since the beginning. However, the Cupertino company may delay these changes as it proceeds with the appeals and petitions against Epic Games, with the changes not yet available now.
The Supreme Court's decision to deny these petitions is one of the markers that seal this case, but both companies are not walking away defeated, as the possibility of the third-party channels may be coming soon and Fortnite remains shut out.
