Apple is asking a court to temporarily halt a recent ruling in its ongoing legal battle with Epic Games, which would prevent Apple from collecting commissions on in-app purchases made through external links. The original 2021 ruling required Apple to allow limited link-outs for alternative payments, but a more recent decision by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers expanded that order.
It now prohibits Apple from imposing fees on such purchases and from controlling how developers present payment links within their apps.
Apple is requesting a stay on these new requirements while it appeals the decision, claiming the changes could cost the company significant revenue—potentially in the hundreds of millions or even billions annually. Apple argues that the ruling is an overreach and punishes rather than enforces compliance. Meanwhile, companies like Amazon and Spotify have already updated their apps to take advantage of the ruling, redirecting users to their websites to make payments and bypass Apple’s fees.
Judge Rogers has also made a criminal referral in the case, accusing Apple of misleading the court and pointing to senior executives, including CEO Tim Cook, as being involved in decisions to continue charging external payment commissions. Apple has not responded directly to the allegation but maintains it has followed the court’s instructions and plans to appeal the ruling.
