Tim Apple Wins: Appeals Court Pauses Ruling that iPhone Giant Must Allow Alternative Payments for Apps

An appeals court has put a pause on the ongoing case between Epic and Apple, placing a stay on the enforcement of an injunction issued by the lower court. Based on the ruling, Apple can maintain its current purchase system as the sole source of in-app payments on iPhones, despite previous rulings stating that the exclusive agreement was illegal.

The Verge reports that an appeals court has placed a stay on the enforcement of an injunction issued by the lower court, putting a pause on the case between Epic and Apple. As a result, Apple can maintain its current purchase system as the sole source of in-app payments on iOS, despite previous rulings stating that the exclusive agreement was illegal.

The stay was issued this week and does not reverse the previous ruling, but places its enforcement on hold until the appeals court can fully hear the case, which will likely take months. The ruling states:

Apple has demonstrated, at minimum, that its appeal raises serious questions on the merits of the district court’s determination. Therefore, we grant Apple’s motion to stay part (i) of paragraph (1) of the permanent injunction. The stay will remain in effect until the mandate issues in this appeal.

Apple spokesperson Marni Goldberg said in a statement: “Our concern is that these changes would have created new privacy and security risks, and disrupted the user experience customers love about the App Store. We want to thank the court for granting this stay while the appeals process continues.”

In September, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ordered Apple to allow third-party payment systems on iOS apps as part of a broader ruling that dismissed antitrust allegations brought forth by Epic. The court ruled that beginning December 9th, Apple could no longer prohibit “buttons or external links” that directed users to third-party payment systems outside the App Store.

Read more at the Verge here.

Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan or contact via secure email at the address lucasnolan@protonmail.com