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Supreme Court Will Hear Apple Appeal Over Contempt in Epic Games App Store Case

The court will decide whether Apple can be held in contempt for charging fees on external payment links, a ruling that could reshape how judges police platform rules.

Overview

  • Apple's appeal, which the Supreme Court agreed to hear on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, asks the justices to overturn a lower‑court finding that the company willfully violated a 2021 injunction.
  • The high court limited its review to the contempt question and declined to take up Apple's separate challenge to the injunction's application to all App Store developers.
  • The contempt finding stems from a 2021 order that forced Apple to allow developers to link to outside payment options and from Apple's subsequent imposition of a 27% commission on some purchases routed through those links.
  • The Ninth Circuit upheld the contempt ruling last December but sent the case back to set an appropriate fee; Apple and Epic have jointly asked the district court to pause remand deadlines while Apple seeks a short stay and will file a stay motion under a proposed July 6 briefing schedule.
  • Regulators in the EU, UK, Japan and South Korea are watching the case because the Supreme Court's decision will affect how courts can enforce injunctions, how much platforms can charge for off‑store payments, and the business economics facing app developers and consumers worldwide.