Apple vs. Epic Games legal battle: Here are the latest updates you need to know

iPhone maker Apple denies violating a court order governing its App Store and is urging a federal judge in California to reject Fortnite developer Epic Games’ request to find it in contempt of court.

Apple made these arguments in documents filed with Oakland District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who presided over Epic’s 2020 lawsuit accusing Apple of tightly controlling how consumers download apps and pay. In-app transactions violate antitrust laws.

Apple’s filing criticized Epic’s attempts to make Apple’s “tools and technology” available to developers for free.

Epic allegedly wants the court to “micromanage Apple’s business operations to improve Epic’s profitability.”

Epic declined to comment. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the dispute, which is part of a long-running battle between the two companies.

Epic largely lost its case against Apple, but Rogers ordered Apple in 2021 to give developers greater freedom and direct app users to alternative payment methods for digital goods.

The U.S. Supreme Court in January declined to hear Apple’s appeal of the ban.

Epic said in a court filing last month that Cupertino, California-based Apple had “flagrantly violated” the court’s injunction. The report notes that Apple charges developers a 27% fee on certain purchases, which the video game maker said makes links to alternative payment options “impossible for commercial use.”

Epic also claims that Apple prohibits certain apps from telling users about alternative ways to pay for items.

Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Elon Musk’s X and Match Group responded to Epic’s arguments last month, telling Rogers that Apple was in “clear violation” of the court order.

In a similar case brought by Epic against Alphabet’s Google, a San Francisco judge is expected to issue a separate injunction affecting the Google Play Store this year.

The case is Epic Games Inc v. Apple Inc, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, No. 20-05640.