App Store court order upheld

Apple’s fight over App Store fees is now running on two tracks: a court order that took effect after Apple lost its bid to pause it, and a separate antitrust case where Apple is trying to pull records from Samsung in South Korea. (ca9.uscourts.gov) (techcrunch.com) (macrumors.com) The App Store case grew out of Epic Games’ 2020 lawsuit, which challenged Apple’s rule that iPhone apps had to use Apple’s payment system for many digital purchases. In 2021, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ordered Apple to let developers include buttons and links that send users to outside payment options. (techcrunch.com) (ca9.uscourts.gov) Apple later let developers link out, but it charged a 27% commission on many purchases completed on the web and limited how those links could look and work. The Ninth Circuit said in its December 11, 2025 opinion that the 27% fee had a “prohibitive effect” and that Apple’s link design restrictions also violated the injunction. (ca9.uscourts.gov) (techcrunch.com) Apple asked for a rehearing and lost in March 2026, then said on April 3, 2026 that it would ask the Supreme Court to review the case. TechCrunch reported that the Ninth Circuit granted Apple a stay on April 6, 2026 while Epic immediately moved to lift it, showing how unsettled enforcement remains even after the December ruling. (techcrunch.com) (macrumors.com) The second track is the United States Department of Justice case filed on March 21, 2024 in New Jersey with 15 states and the District of Columbia. That complaint accuses Apple of monopolizing smartphone markets by using App Store rules, developer restrictions, and control over iPhone features to limit competition. (justice.gov) (congress.gov) That is where Samsung enters. In an April 7, 2026 memorandum, Apple asked the court to send a formal request under the Hague Evidence Convention so it could seek Samsung Electronics records in South Korea after Samsung’s United States subsidiary said the documents were held only by the Korean parent. (macrumors.com) (9to5mac.com) Apple says Samsung’s files could show how often users switch from iPhone to Galaxy phones, how Samsung prices wallet services, and how the Galaxy Store deals with developers. Apple also points to Samsung’s Smart Switch tool and to allegations in the government’s complaint that Samsung is Apple’s closest smartphone rival. (macrumors.com) (justice.gov) The government’s case and the Epic case are not the same lawsuit, but they meet on the same question: how much control Apple can keep over apps, payments, and services tied to the iPhone. Apple has said it disagrees with the Epic ruling and has argued in court that its outside-payment fee covers hosting, discovery, and developer tools rather than payment processing alone. (techcrunch.com) (cnbc.com) Samsung has not been accused of wrongdoing in the Apple antitrust case, and even if the New Jersey court approves Apple’s request, South Korean authorities would still decide whether to execute it under local law. Apple’s next moves now sit with two courts at once: the Supreme Court petition in the Epic fight and discovery rulings in the Department of Justice case. (macrumors.com) (9to5mac.com)