Judge pressures Apple to approve Fortnite or return to court

a year ago

A federal judge is demanding Apple approve Fortnite’s submission on the U.S. App Store or return to court to justify its refusal.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers questions Apple’s legal authority to ignore the court’s order and warns of potential contempt charges.
Apple delayed approving Fortnite’s resubmission, citing pending legal appeals, prompting Epic Games to file a motion to enforce the injunction.
The legal battle stems from Apple’s App Store policies, which previously barred external payment links without paying Apple a commission.
Apple partially complied by allowing external payments but imposed a 27% commission and required 'scare screens' for users.
Judge Gonzalez Rogers ruled Apple was in 'willful violation' of the injunction, yet Apple stalled Fortnite’s approval.
The outcome could influence global legal and regulatory actions against Apple’s App Store practices.
Epic Games previously won a partial victory, securing the right for developers to offer alternative payment options in the U.S.
Apple updated its App Store policies, leading apps like Spotify and Amazon Kindle to adopt new payment functionalities.
Both Epic Games and Apple declined to comment on the latest developments.

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