Apple Appeals Ruling in Antitrust Case Brought by Fortnite Creator

A court battle between Apple and Epic Games will continue, with Apple saying Friday (Oct. 8) that it is appealing a ruling in an antitrust case brought by the Fortnite creator, Reuters reported

For its part, Epic had already announced that it is appealing a judge’s finding that Apple has not violated antitrust law through its payment rules, according to the report.

Apple also asked a U.S. federal judge Friday to pause orders that it stop prohibiting app developers from including buttons or links in their apps that enable payments outside of Apple’s in-app payment system, the report stated. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in September required that change to Apple’s App Store practices, while at the same time largely ruling in the company’s favor after a trial.

In the ruling, Gonzalez Rogers said she was concerned about developers being prevented from communicating with iPhone users about alternative prices, according to the report. Apple in turn said that complying with the order could cause harm to it and consumers.

The legal challenge began with Epic suing Apple in August 2020 when the company took Fortnite off the App Store after Epic found a workaround that kept Apple from collecting commission on purchases.

Read more: Fortnite Off App Store Until Court Appeals Run Out

In the meantime, as the court battle continues, Apple has banned Fortnite from the App Store.

In a letter to Epic’s lawyers, sent after Epic asked that its developer account on the App Store be reinstated, Apple’s legal representatives said Apple, “will not consider any further requests for reinstatement until the district court’s judgment becomes final and non-appealable.”

The appeals process could take five years, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said on Twitter.