Apple Appeals App Store Contempt Order on External Payments at Ninth Circuit

Overview

• Apple urged a three‑judge Ninth Circuit panel in San Francisco to reverse an April finding of willful noncompliance, reassign the case, or vacate the 2021 injunction.
• Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers’ April order barred Apple from charging commissions on purchases made outside the App Store and curtailed restrictions on steering, with a referral to federal prosecutors for a possible criminal probe.
• Apple argues the expanded injunction exceeds civil‑contempt limits and violates constitutional protections, with its previously announced 27% levy on off‑store transactions central to the dispute.
• The appeals court declined in June to pause the April order, and developers including Epic, Amazon, and Spotify are already directing users to complete purchases on the web.
• Epic Games Inc. v. Apple Inc., No. 25‑2935, could redefine Apple’s control over links and commissions as the company also faces a DOJ antitrust case and new European obligations.