Supreme Court Pauses Apple App Store Fee Dispute

The Supreme Court of the United States issued an administrative stay on Wednesday, pausing proceedings in a California trial court regarding an antitrust dispute between Apple Inc. and Epic Games Inc. Justice Elena Kagan issued the order, which lasts until Thursday at 5:00 p.m. Washington time, to allow the high court more time to consider Apple's request for a longer-term halt to lower court actions.

The stay follows a Tuesday ruling by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, who had rejected Apple's request to pause the case. Judge Rogers had previously found Apple in civil contempt for defying a 2021 injunction by imposing a 27% commission on external purchases, despite a court order to allow alternative payment methods. Following the initial denial of the stay, Apple was given 24 hours to file its proposed fee structure and supporting calculations for court approval.

Apple is appealing the contempt finding, and the Supreme Court has agreed to review the matter, with arguments expected in December. Epic Games, which filed the original 2020 lawsuit, had opposed the pause, arguing that the proceedings should continue regardless of the higher court's review.