In the ongoing legal battle, Epic Games appeals to the US Supreme Court in the Apple antitrust case

The US Supreme Court has been asked by Epic Games to review the ruling of a lower court as part of their appeal in the antitrust case against Apple. The appeal also raises broader questions about antitrust laws. Epic argues that a restraint with both pro and anti-competitive effects is unlawful and that the Supreme Court should consider whether there is a less-restrictive alternative that would achieve the same benefits without harming competition, and whether such an alternative should be free of Apple costs.

A look back at the case

The Apple vs Epic case has seen appeals, turnarounds, and external support since it began in 2020. Roblox was among the first external voices to show support for the App Store, praising its safety and security measures.

Epic originally claimed that Apple had an unfair monopoly on App Store apps and purchases. However, Apple emerged victorious in April of this year, winning most of the claims in the case. The only claim that Epic won was the permission for developers to sell in-app purchases on their websites, allowing them to bypass the 30% share that Apple takes from in-game purchases. This action resulted in the removal of Fortnite from the App Store.

Following the ruling, developers are now steering players away from in-app purchases. Niantic, for example, offers discounts on the web store for its new game Monster Hunter Now, providing the same content as in-game but benefiting both the developer and consumers. This move is no longer against the terms of service for iOS.