Apple has formally requested that a federal appeals court temporarily suspend key parts of a recent ruling requiring the company to open up its App Store to more competition. This request was filed with the San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals as Apple seeks to pause the enforcement of the order while it pursues a legal challenge. The tech giant warned that if the order issued on April 30 is not stayed, it could suffer irreparable harm.
The ruling in question stems from a 2020 antitrust lawsuit filed by Epic Games, the creator of the popular game Fortnite. The case has been closely watched for its potential to reshape how Apple manages its App Store and interacts with third-party app developers. Apple has been found in contempt for allegedly violating an earlier court injunction by maintaining certain policies that the judge deemed restrictive.
US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ordered Apple to halt several practices designed to sidestep the original injunction. Among these, Apple faces restrictions on implementing a new 27 percent fee on developers for app purchases made outside the App Store. Additionally, the judge’s order bars Apple from limiting where developers can place links directing users to alternative purchase options outside of an app.
In its court filing, Apple argued that forcing the company to comply with the ruling would mean giving away access to its products and services for free, which it says is legally untenable. The company is actively challenging these specific provisions, asserting that they interfere with Apple’s ability to control core aspects of its business and set terms for the App Store ecosystem.