A federal judge is putting pressure on Apple to either approve Fortnite’s latest submission for the U.S. App Store or come back to court and explain why it hasn’t done so yet.
U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, clearly frustrated, confirmed in a recent court filing that she has received Epic Games’ latest request. Epic wants the court to force Apple to allow Fortnite back on the App Store.
The judge asked Apple to show legal reasons why it thinks it can ignore the court’s previous order. She also warned Apple that if the issue isn’t resolved, the company will need to return to court to explain itself.
“Apple is fully capable of resolving this issue without more hearings or filings,” the judge said. She also demanded Apple name the official responsible for making sure the company follows the court’s decision.
This move suggests the judge might consider holding Apple in contempt of court if it continues to ignore the order.
This comes after an earlier harsh ruling where the judge accused Apple of trying to sidestep the court’s instructions and even called out Apple for allegedly lying under oath.
Epic Games had the right to add external payment links in its app, which meant Fortnite could return to the App Store. After this, Epic resubmitted Fortnite. But Apple responded that it would not approve the app until the Ninth Circuit court decides on Apple’s appeal.
In response, Epic filed a motion asking the court to enforce the judge’s injunction, pushing Apple to act.
This ongoing legal battle has lasted for years and centers on Apple’s App Store policies, which traditionally forced developers to pay a commission and barred them from linking to external payment methods.
While Apple made some changes, like reducing its commission slightly and allowing developers to apply for exceptions, it also required warning screens to discourage users from making purchases outside the App Store.
The judge called Apple’s behavior a “willful violation” of the court’s orders, which should have allowed Fortnite to come back to the App Store sooner. But Apple delayed the approval for a week, neither accepting nor rejecting the app.
The outcome of this case could have a big impact on Apple’s App Store practices worldwide, possibly encouraging similar legal challenges or new regulations.
Apple won the larger antitrust case, with the court ruling it’s not a monopolist. However, Epic secured a win that lets developers offer alternative payment options in their apps, such as through their own websites.
After the ruling, Apple updated its App Store rules in the U.S., and apps like Spotify, Amazon Kindle, and Patreon quickly added support for external payments.
Epic Games has not commented on the latest developments. Apple also did not respond to requests for comment.
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