Overview
- Apple filed its opening merits brief with the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday seeking to reverse a contempt finding that arose from its handling of App Store anti‑steering rules.
- The underlying contempt judgment followed a district court order that required Apple to let developers include links to third‑party payment options and then barred Apple from charging fees the court found violated that order.
- In its brief Apple says contempt requires an injunction to give clear, unambiguous notice that the specific conduct is forbidden and criticizes the Ninth Circuit for enforcing the injunction based on its 'spirit' rather than its text.
- The Supreme Court docket sets Epic’s response for November 13, Apple’s reply for December 14, and a possible argument date as early as January 2027.
- The case has practical stakes for developers because Apple proposed new commission tiers in August 2026, no commissions on external purchases have been collected since the contempt finding, and a ruling for Apple could limit courts’ power to police vague injunctions and change who sets App Store fees.