Full Breakdown
Supreme Court Takes Up Apple-Epic Contempt Appeal Over App Store Fees
7/1/2026, 12:11:36 PM
Supreme Court Review of Contempt Finding
On June 30, 2026 the Supreme Court granted certiorari in Apple v. Epic (No. 25-1311) to review Apple’s appeal of a contempt ruling. The Court will decide whether Apple’s 27 % fee on external-payment links breaches the 2021 injunction; it declined to consider Apple’s claim that the injunction should apply to Epic.
Legal Background and Injunction
Epic sued Apple in August 2020 after Fortnite’s removal for offering a payment option; in 2021 Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ordered Apple to let apps link to payment systems. Apple added a 27 % commission on purchases via those links seven days, prompting a contempt finding in April 2025. Ninth Circuit upheld the finding in December 2025 and allowed Apple to argue fee must be “genuinely and reasonably necessary.”
Timeline of Key Dates
August 2020 – Epic sues; 2021 – injunction to allow external links; April 2025 – contempt ruling on 27 % fee; December 2025 – Ninth Circuit upholds; May 2026 – Apple petitions Supreme Court; June 30 2026 – Court grants review; October 2026 – oral arguments; June 2027 – decision.
Commission Structure and Financial Stakes
Apple’s App Store commission ranges from 15 % to 30 %. For external links it charges 27 % (12 % for some small developers) seven days. The Ninth Circuit said the fee is prohibitive. Apple’s services earned $85 billion in fiscal 2024, so change could affect billions of dollars.
Global Impact
Regulators in the EU, Brazil, India and the UK have opened investigations into Apple’s App Store. Apple warned the Supreme Court’s ruling will shape “what commission rate Apple may charge on covered purchases in markets outside United States,” reshaping app-store economics.
Official Statements and Criticism
Apple’s spokesperson called the case “an important question of law” and welcomed the review, noting regulators are watching. Epic posted on X that it will “continue to fight against junk fees Apple charges on third-party payments” and said lower courts have found fees illegal and anticompetitive. Ninth Circuit echoed Epic’s view, noting the 27 % fee’s prohibitive effect.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the external-payment commission: some cite a flat 27 % rate, others a reduced 12 % fee for small developers, while Apple’s App Store fee is reported as 15 %–30 %. The permissible fee remains unsettled pending the Supreme Court’s decision.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This is an important question of law and we are pleased the Supreme Court will hear our case.” — Apple
- “We're heading to the Supreme Court where we'll continue to fight against junk fees Apple charges on third-party payments,” — Epic Games
- “Lower courts have rightly found Apple's fees to be illegal and anticompetitive and we'll continue to defend free markets.” — Epic Games
- “Regulators around the world are watching this case to determine what commission rate Apple may charge on covered purchases in huge markets outside the United States,” — Apple
What’s Next
Oral arguments are set for October 2026; decision is expected by June 2027. If the contempt finding stands, Apple must stop charging commission on external-payment links; if reversed, it could keep a fee deemed “genuinely and reasonably necessary.”
