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District Judge Thomas S. Hixson has rejected Apple’s request to extend the deadline to submit over 1.3 million documents related to App Store policy changes by the original September 30 deadline.
Apple had argued it needed more time due to the large volume of documents involved but met swift dismissal from the judge.
Apple and Epic Games Legal Showdown Intensifies as Deadline Nears
On September 27, Judge Thomas S. Hixson rejected Apple’s request for a two-week extension to submit required documents related to the case.
The judge criticized Apple’s timing and behavior, explaining that the tech company had been aware of the deadline for weeks and should have anticipated the workload. Hixson deemed it irresponsible that a company of Apple’s vast resources is having difficulty meeting the September 30 deadline.
This ruling marks another critical moment in the legal clash between Apple and Epic Games, which began in 2020 when Epic contested Apple’s control over in-app purchases in the App Store.
Epic Games sued Apple after introducing a direct billing option on its popular game Fortnite to circumvent Apple’s 30% fee on all in-app purchases. In response, Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store, prompting Epic to accuse Apple of monopolizing the iPhone software market. Following a 2021 trial, Apple won nine out of ten counts but was ordered to allow developers to link to external payment methods.
The Supreme Court denied both sides’ appeals of the Epic v. Apple antitrust case. The court battle to open iOS to competing stores and payments is lost in the United States. A sad outcome for all developers.
— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) January 16, 2024
In response, Apple rolled out changes to its developer guidelines in January 2024. These guidelines enabled developers to direct users to external websites for subscription services, bypassing the firm’s previous in-app purchase system.
However, Apple still plans to secure a 27% commission on transactions made outside its platform, a policy that has been a major point of contention.
Epic Games, led by CEO Tim Sweeney, argues that Apple’s revised policy undermines the court’s order and still unfairly restricts developers. In an X post on January 17, Sweeney expressed concerns about Apple’s approach, accusing the company of “bad-faith compliance” with the court’s ruling. Despite these issues, Epic has tried unsuccessfully to bring its Games Store and Fortnite back to the iOS in the past.
Apple filed a bad-faith "compliance" plan for the District Court's injunction. It totally undermines the order allowing “buttons, external links, or other calls to action that direct customers to purchasing mechanisms, in addition to IAP”.https://t.co/ofbuMwe7SH
— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) January 16, 2024
With the September 30 deadline fast approaching, all eyes are on Apple to see whether it can deliver the required documents on time. This decision could have lasting effects on the future of App Store policies and the broader regulatory environment surrounding digital marketplaces.
