The Supreme Court Schedules Hearing Date for Apple-Epic Games Appeal
The U.S. Supreme Court has officially set a date for oral arguments in Apple’s appeal concerning its longstanding legal battle with Epic Games. The case, which has captivated the tech world, is set to be heard on January 11, 2027. This article provides an overview of the ongoing saga and what to expect from the upcoming court session.
A Brief Overview of the Case
In 2020, Epic Games initiated a lawsuit against Apple after the tech giant removed Fortnite from the App Store. The removal was a consequence of Epic introducing an alternative in-app payment system via a remotely activated update, contravening Apple’s policies.
The following year, the court ruled predominantly in Apple’s favor, with Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers supporting Apple on nine out of Epic’s ten claims. However, the judge also ruled that Apple could not prevent developers from guiding users to alternative payment methods outside the App Store.
Subsequently, Apple altered its policies to allow external purchase links, but it continued to impose a commission of up to 27% on such transactions and applied certain restrictions on how these links could be presented.
Epic challenged these implementations, and the district court sided with Epic. In April 2025, the court ordered Apple to eliminate the restrictions and cease charging commissions on external purchases, holding Apple in civil contempt for violating the initial injunction.
Since this ruling, Apple has allowed developers in the U.S. to direct users to external payment options without incurring a commission. However, Apple continues to contest the contempt ruling.
Apple’s Appeal to the Supreme Court
After unsuccessful appeals to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Apple escalated the matter to the Supreme Court. In June, the Supreme Court agreed to review whether Apple could be held in contempt for violating the “spirit” of an injunction, even if its text did not explicitly forbid the conduct in question.
Notably, the Supreme Court’s review will focus solely on the civil contempt ruling. The question of how much Apple can charge developers for purchases made outside the App Store is being addressed separately by the district court, following the Ninth Circuit’s decision to overturn the blanket ban on commissions.
The Upcoming Supreme Court Hearing
The Supreme Court’s docket now lists the date for oral arguments. Both Apple and Epic Games are slated to present their cases on January 11, 2027. The parties have already outlined their arguments in previous filings.
In its September brief to the Supreme Court, Apple argued for overturning the contempt ruling, asserting that the original injunction did not explicitly prevent it from charging commissions on external transactions.
Apple’s brief referenced several court decisions, emphasizing that civil contempt requires a clear prohibition in the injunction regarding the contested conduct.
Following Apple’s submission, the U.S. Department of Justice and several legal and business organizations filed briefs supporting parts of Apple’s argument. However, the DOJ also maintained that the lower courts were correct in holding Apple in contempt, particularly regarding restrictions on external purchase links, such as the requirement for “plain buttons” without contrasting backgrounds.
With the hearing date set, the case moves closer to a resolution by the Supreme Court. Epic Games has until November 13 to file its brief in response to Apple’s arguments, while Apple’s reply is due by December 14.
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