5Upper IntermediateBusinessTechnology

Epic Games Wins Key Court Battle Against Apple

A U.S. appeals court has reversed a decision that allowed Apple to delay changes to its App Store rules. This ruling means Apple must now face a lower court to determine what fees it can charge developers. The decision comes as Apple prepares to take its case to the Supreme Court.

1 min readLevel 5April 30, 2026

By Flalingo Editorial Team

Vocabulary

Study these words before reading the article. Click the audio button to hear pronunciation.

reverse

/rɪˈvɜːrs/

verb

To change a decision or action to the opposite of what it was before

“The court decided to reverse its earlier ruling after hearing new arguments.”

commission

/kəˈmɪʃən/

noun

A percentage of money paid to a company or person for providing a service or completing a sale

“The platform charges a 30 percent commission on every transaction made through its system.”

comply

/kəmˈplaɪ/

verb

To act according to a rule, order, or request

“All companies must comply with the new regulations by the end of the year.”

irreparable

/ɪˈrepərəbl/

adjective

So bad or serious that it cannot be fixed or made right again

“The company argued that the new policy would cause irreparable damage to its business.”

petition

/pəˈtɪʃən/

verb

To formally ask a court or authority to take a specific action

“The company plans to petition the highest court to review the decision.”

reshape

/riːˈʃeɪp/

verb

To change the form or structure of something in an important way

“New technology has the power to reshape entire industries within a few years.”

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Article

Click on any underlined word to see its definition. Highlighted words are from the vocabulary section.

Epic Games has scored a significant legal victory against Apple. On April 28, 2026, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a previous ruling. That earlier ruling had paused the case while Apple prepared a Supreme Court appeal. Now, the dispute will proceed to a lower court without further delay.

The case will return to Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in California. She will determine what commission Apple can legally charge app developers. Currently, Apple takes a 15 to 30 percent cut on App Store purchases. The appeals court ruled that Apple had not shown irreparable harm from proceeding.

This legal battle dates back to 2020, when Epic challenged Apple's strict payment policies. In 2021, a judge ordered Apple to allow developers to link to external payment options. Apple complied but still imposed a 27 percent fee on those external purchases. Courts later found that this fee structure violated the spirit of the original ruling.

Apple can still petition the Supreme Court to review the case. However, the appeals court expressed doubt that the Supreme Court would intervene. For app developers, this ruling could reshape how digital marketplaces operate. The outcome may ultimately influence commission structures across the entire technology industry.

Comprehension Quiz

Test your understanding of the article with these multiple-choice questions.

1
What did the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals do on April 28, 2026?
2
What will Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers determine?
3
What fee did Apple impose on purchases made through external payment links?
4
Why did the court reject Apple's request to keep the pause in place?

Discussion

Answer these comprehension questions about the article.

1
What did the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decide on April 28, 2026?
2
Why did Apple want to pause the case before it returned to the lower court?
3
How did Apple's 27 percent fee on external payments lead to further legal problems?
4
What role will Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers play in the next stage of this case?
5
Why did the appeals court believe that Apple had not shown irreparable harm?

Further Discussion

Share your opinions on these open-ended questions.

1
If you were a small app developer, how would this ruling affect your business strategy?
2
Do you think companies like Apple should be allowed to set their own commission rates, or should courts have a say?
3
How might this legal battle influence other technology companies that operate digital marketplaces?
4
If you were advising Apple's leadership team, what strategy would you recommend at this point?
5
In your opinion, is a 15 to 30 percent commission fair for the services Apple provides to developers?