Apple is currently engaged in a legal battle regarding compensation related to sales made outside of its App Store. The tech giant is appealing to the Ninth Circuit Court to overturn a ruling by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, which Apple describes as “unduly punitive.” The judge has determined that Apple willfully violated a 2021 injunction, which restricts the company from imposing barriers on external app purchases and linking to them. Although Apple requested a stay of the order, this request was denied, prompting the company to continue its legal fight.
A report from *Law360* indicates that Apple is advocating for the Ninth Circuit Court to dismiss the judge’s mandate. Apple argues that the requirement to allow external linking and impose zero commission on external sales is unfair and lacks sufficient basis in the original injunction. The company maintains that the new mandate serves as a punishment by forcing it to operate at a zero-royalty rate for a significant portion of transactions, an approach it views as inconsistent with California’s Unfair Competition Law. Apple’s legal filings emphasize that diminishing its commission from 27% to zero based on the court’s findings is not a valid solution.
Furthermore, Apple has submitted several requests to the Ninth Circuit, including the dismissal of the new injunction and reversing the civil contempt ruling. This legal struggle stems from the broader Epic vs. Apple case, where Apple prevailed in most areas except for the ruling that requires it to permit app developers to link to external sales. Apple’s implementation of this ruling, however, has been criticized as complicated and ineffective. In March 2025, Epic Games raised concerns about Apple’s adherence to the court’s order, with revelations suggesting Apple may have deliberately misinterpreted the spirit of the ruling.
The situation remains fluid, with developers beginning to exploit the openings created by the recent mandate.
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