Epic Games asks judge to enforce injunction against Apple

Epic Games has once again accused Apple of not complying with United States law. After struggling in Europe to get its developer account reinstated, the Tim Sweeney-led company has turned to the court system. Epic has asked a judge to enforce an order allowing external payment options.

In a motion filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Epic Games is asking Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers to uphold the law. The legal document states, "Apple flagrantly disregards this court's injunction. Its latest App Store rules continue to apply to developers the prohibitions that this court has ruled illegal."

The creators of Fortnite and Unreal Engine argue that Apple's updated policy imposes restrictions that undermine and nullify the court's ruling. Specifically, Epic Games points to a 27% fee imposed on apps that use external payment systems. This fee is charged by Apple on digital purchases made within seven days of redirecting the user to a link outside of the App Store.

According to Epic Games, Apple has developed a new strategy to extract "exorbitant fees" from developers. They claim that Apple not only charges fees, but also interferes with external payment links, rendering them "completely ineffective." Despite the court ruling, Epic argues that Apple prohibits the use of buttons or prompts to facilitate transactions outside of the App Store.

Epic is accusing Apple of pretending to be a sham and is demanding that it comply with the law

Epic Games has accused Apple of preventing users from accessing external payment methods by making the process more complicated. According to the guidelines, developers must pay a 27% commission on all sales, and Apple must grant permission to link to payment methods outside the App Store.

Apple's supposed compliance is deceptive. Epic is therefore seeking a judgment of civil contempt against Apple, requiring it to promptly adjust its policies to comply with the court's ruling and remove all of the provisions set forth in Section 3.1.3 of the App Store Review Guidelines.

This isn't the first time Epic has addressed this issue. A few weeks ago, CEO Tim Sweeney criticized Apple for imposing a tax that suppresses price competition, accusing Apple of unfairness. Sweeney reiterated his determination to ensure that the tech company honors its legal obligations.

Despite Epic's victory in Europe, the trajectory of the case remains uncertain. Because Apple has exhausted all options, it will not be able to circumvent alternative payment methods in the United States. Ultimately, a Federal Court will have to determine whether Apple broke the law and should be penalized.