Apple secures a minor win in the appeal concerning the Epic Games lawsuit

Leading tech company Apple achieved a minor victory in its ongoing legal battle with Epic Games. According to Reuters, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with Apple that it can impose a "reasonable fee" on external transactions processed by developers outside its App Store. This fee must correspond to the genuine costs related to maintaining security and privacy for users. Further discussion between Apple and the district court will determine what qualifies as a "reasonable fee."

Other aspects of Apple's appeal were unsuccessful. The appeals court maintained that Apple's attempt to impose a 27% commission on iOS developers using third-party payment methods defied a previous court order. Additionally, the restrictions Apple placed on promoting these payment methods, as compared to its internal system, were deemed excessively wide-ranging. Apple must now ensure equal visibility for all payment options.

The appeals court rejected Apple's request to completely overturn the injunction against it. This led to Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney expressing approval on social media, noting that significant changes are on the horizon following prolonged resistance from Apple.

An initial district court ruling from April forbade Apple from collecting fees on purchases made through outside payment methods, a decision dating back to an injunction first issued in 2021 but enforced in January 2024. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers declared Apple to be in "willful violation" of this injunction in April 2025.

In related news, Fortnite is once again available on the Google Play Store in the U.S. The popular game was removed from both the App Store and Google Play in 2020 after Epic Games sued Apple and Google over mobile payment system practices. Announcements from Epic Games indicate that Fortnite will roll out to the Google Play Store in other regions soon.

The game returned to iOS in the U.S. and Europe in May 2025, before its scheduled comeback in Australia in August.