Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Apple appealed on May 5, 2025, after a federal judge found that the company violated an injunction requiring it to let developers point users toward outside payment options. Apple wanted the contempt finding and restrictions on App Store payment links narrowed or overturned.
The appeal did not restore Apple’s former freedom to suppress external-payment links. In a decision issued on December 11, 2025, the Ninth Circuit upheld the contempt finding and most restrictions on link design and user steering. It reversed only the blanket ban on all commissions for outside purchases, sending that issue back for a more narrowly tailored rule.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What Apple actually appealed
Apple’s filing followed an April 30, 2025 order from U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Epic Games v. Apple. That order found Apple in contempt of an earlier injunction and restricted how Apple could regulate links to developer-controlled payment websites.
The dispute was not an appeal over whether Apple could operate an App Store, review apps, or distribute software. It focused on whether Apple could technically allow external-payment links while making them less visible, less attractive, or too expensive to use.
#1 Best Overall
- This phone is unlocked and compatible with any carrier of choice on GSM and CDMA networks (e.g. AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, US Cellular, Cricket, Metro, Tracfone, Mint Mobile, etc.).
- Please check with your carrier to verify compatibility.
- The device does not come with headphones or a SIM card. It does include a generic (Mfi certified) charging cable.
- Tested for battery health and guaranteed to have a minimum battery capacity of 80%.
Apple challenged both the contempt finding and the remedies imposed by the district court. The company argued that the court had gone beyond enforcing the 2021 injunction, created a broader new injunction, and imposed a permanent zero-commission rule that was not properly tailored to civil contempt.
Apple also defended its restrictions on security, privacy, fraud-prevention, and user-experience grounds.
Contemporaneous reporting identified May 5, 2025 as the date Apple filed its notice of appeal.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The Epic dispute in three stages
1. The 2021 injunction
The original injunction required Apple to stop preventing developers from informing users about alternative purchasing methods. In plain English, developers could not be completely barred from telling customers that a subscription or digital purchase might be available elsewhere.
That did not automatically require Apple to make outside purchasing as prominent or convenient as Apple’s own in-app payment system. The practical question became whether Apple could comply in form while undermining the option in practice.
2. Apple’s implementation
Apple permitted certain external links but imposed conditions on their appearance, placement, language, and operation. Developers objected that these rules made alternative payment paths difficult to discover or commercially unattractive.
Rank #2
- 6.9" LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 1320x2868px at 460ppi, 1000 nits (typ), 2000 nits (HBM), 4685mAh Battery
- 1TB, 8GB RAM, Apple A18 Pro (3nm), Hexa-core (2x4.05 GHz + 4x2.42 GHz), Apple GPU 6-core, iOS 18, upgradable to iOS 18.3
- Rear camera: 48MP, f/1.8 (wide) + 12MP, f/2.8 (periscope telephoto) 5x optical zoom + 48MP, f/2.2 (ultrawide), TOF 3D LiDAR scanner (depth), Front Camera: 12MP, f/1.9 (wide)
- 2G: 850/900/1800/1900, 3G: HSDPA 850/900/1700(AWS)/1900/2100, 4G LTE: 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/14/17/18/19/20/25/26/28/29/30/32/34/38/39/40/41/42/48/53/66/71, 1/2/3/5/7/8/12/14/20/25/26/28/29/30/38/40/41/48/53/66/70/71/75/76/77/78/79/258/260/261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - Dual eSIM
- Unlocked for freedom to choose your carrier. Compatible with both GSM & CDMA networks. The phone is unlocked to work with all GSM Carriers & CDMA Carriers Including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint., Etc.
A central issue was Apple’s challenged commission for purchases reached through external links. The Ninth Circuit’s later opinion described that commission as 27%, compared with Apple’s standard 30% in-app-purchase commission and 15% rates available to certain programs.
3. The April 30, 2025 contempt order
Judge Rogers found that Apple’s approach did not comply with the purpose of the injunction. The order restricted Apple from:
- Limiting external links to particular templates or formats;
- requiring developers to use less prominent links or calls to action;
- using warning messages that discouraged users from leaving an app, beyond a neutral notice;
- blocking dynamic links that directed users to a specific product or subscription page; and
- charging a commission or fee on purchases completed outside the App Store.
The appeal was triggered by this contempt ruling. It was not a fresh appeal of every issue arising from the 2020 removal of Fortnite.
Apple’s position versus Epic’s position
Apple argued that the district court had exceeded the proper scope of civil contempt. Its theory was that the court should enforce the 2021 injunction, not impose an expansive set of new commercial and interface rules.
Apple also argued that a permanent ban on all external-purchase fees was punitive and ignored the costs associated with operating the App Store and coordinating external links.
Epic argued that formal access was not meaningful access if Apple could make the link visually inferior, surround it with discouraging language, or impose a fee that made outside checkout uneconomical. In Epic’s view, a payment option is not practically available if users rarely see it or developers cannot afford to promote it.
Rank #3
- 6.1inch Super Retina XDR display. Aluminum with color-infused glass back. Ring/Silent switch
- Dynamic Island. A magical way to interact with iPhone. A16 Bionic chip with 5-core GPU
- Advanced dual-camera system. 48MP Main | Ultra Wide. Super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP). Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control. 4X optical zoom range
- Emergency SOS via satellite. Crash Detection. Roadside Assistance via satellite
- Up to 26 hours video playback. USB C, Supports USB 2. Face ID
The Ninth Circuit accepted part of Apple’s legal argument but rejected its broader challenge. It upheld the contempt finding and most of the restrictions on external links.
What the Ninth Circuit decided
In its December 11, 2025 published decision, the Ninth Circuit reached four important conclusions:
- Apple remained in contempt. The court upheld the finding that Apple violated the injunction.
- Most link restrictions stayed in place. Apple could not use design, formatting, placement, or messaging rules to effectively discourage or prevent access to external purchasing information.
- Neutral notices remained possible. Apple could inform users that they were leaving the App Store, but the notice could not operate as a scare tactic that deterred the transaction.
- The blanket fee ban was reversed and remanded. The appellate court found that an absolute prohibition on every commission or fee was not sufficiently tailored as a civil-contempt sanction.
The result was a partial appellate victory for Apple, not a restoration of its former App Store control. The court said Apple might eventually be able to charge a reasonable fee tied to genuine costs associated with facilitating external links. It could not impose a fee so high that it effectively deterred developers from using those links.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
The opinion also distinguished costs associated with coordinating external links from the security and privacy features of Apple’s own in-app payment system. Those Apple-system costs did not automatically justify charging an equivalent commission on outside purchases.
What changes for developers?
Developers gained more room to communicate payment choices, present usable external links, and direct customers to web checkout or existing account systems. This can be especially valuable for companies that already operate subscription platforms, customer accounts, payment processing, and support infrastructure.
But avoiding Apple’s commission does not automatically mean higher profits. A developer comparing payment options must consider:
Rank #4
- This pre-owned product is not Apple certified, but has been professionally inspected, tested and cleaned by Amazon-qualified suppliers.
- There will be no visible cosmetic imperfections when held at an arm’s length.
- This product is eligible for a replacement or refund within 90 days of receipt if you are not satisfied.
- Product may come in generic Box.
- payment-processing fees;
- fraud prevention and chargeback losses;
- sales-tax calculation and remittance;
- subscription management;
- refunds and customer service;
- account creation and checkout abandonment;
- privacy, consumer-protection, and payment compliance; and
- engineering costs for maintaining a reliable web payment flow.
Large platforms with established web businesses may benefit more than small developers that would need to build these systems from scratch. A lower headline fee is not necessarily a lower total cost.
The ruling also did not eliminate Apple’s App Review process, create a general U.S. right to install apps from outside the App Store, or remove every App Store rule. It concerned payment steering and linked-out purchases.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What changes for users?
An external purchase may take place on a developer’s website rather than through Apple’s payment system. The user may enter payment details directly with the developer or its payment provider, and the transaction may not appear in App Store purchase history.
Apple says purchases made on external websites may not receive Apple-managed features such as:
- App Store subscription management;
- Apple’s refund process;
- Family Sharing;
- Ask to Buy; and
- automatic restoration in the same way as an App Store purchase.
Apple’s explanation of these limitations is available in its consumer guidance on external website purchases.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThat does not mean external payment is inherently unsafe or that App Store payment is risk-free. It means responsibility shifts. The developer, rather than Apple, may handle payment support, refunds, recurring billing, and restoration of entitlements.
Best Value
- 6.7inch Super Retina XDR display. ProMotion technology. Always-On display. Titanium with textured matte glass back. Action button
- Dynamic Island. A magical way to interact with iPhone. A17 Pro chip with 6-core GPU
- Pro camera system. 48MP Main | Ultra Wide| Telephoto. Super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP). Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control. Up to 10x optical zoom range
- Emergency SOS via satellite. Crash Detection. Roadside Assistance via satellite
- Up to 29 hours video playback. USB-C, Supports USB 3 for up to 20x faster transfers. Face ID
Why the fee question matters
The legal and financial question is not simply “30% versus zero.” An external transaction may avoid some App Store commission, but it can create other costs. Developers must compare the complete economics of each route, including payment processing, fraud, tax, support, conversion rates, and the value of App Store distribution.
The Ninth Circuit’s distinction was between a reasonable fee reflecting necessary costs and a prohibitive fee designed or structured to suppress external checkout. The court did not declare every external-payment fee unlawful, but it rejected the idea that Apple could use a prohibitive charge to preserve the practical dominance of its own payment system.
For consumers, the likely trade-off is greater payment choice and the possibility of different prices or subscription options, alongside less integration with Apple’s account and family features.
Recommended Free Tools
What the appeal did—and did not—accomplish
| Question | Result |
|---|---|
| Did Apple overturn the contempt finding? | No. The Ninth Circuit upheld it. |
| Can Apple freely restrict external links? | No. Most restrictions on link presentation and user steering remained in place. |
| Can Apple charge no fee at all? | That blanket prohibition was reversed and sent back for a narrower determination. |
| Can Apple charge any fee it wants? | No. A fee cannot be prohibitive and must be properly tailored. |
| Did the ruling eliminate App Review? | No. |
| Did it create general alternative app-store access in the United States? | No. |
| Does it apply only to Epic? | The Ninth Circuit treated the linked-out-purchase restrictions as applying generally, not only to Epic. |
The bottom line for Apple, developers, and users
Apple’s May 2025 appeal sought to regain control over how developers presented and monetized outside payment options. The company achieved only a limited result: it preserved the possibility of a future reasonable, cost-based fee, but it did not recover the ability to make external links obscure, discouraging, or commercially impractical.
For developers, the ruling creates more meaningful access to outside checkout but does not guarantee savings. For users, it creates more payment choice while potentially moving refunds, subscriptions, and account support away from Apple.
The central legal distinction is between an option that exists on paper and one that is genuinely usable. The Ninth Circuit left that principle intact while requiring the fee question to be reconsidered more narrowly.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
