The US Ninth Circuit Court has reversed a stay protecting Apple, forcing the company to comply with mandates requiring it to change how developers process external purchases. Epic Games immediately appealed the stay after Apple won it while taking the case to the Supreme Court. The ruling means Apple must now allow external payment options while its appeal proceeds.

The case returns to Judge Gonzales Rogers to determine what commission Apple can legitimately charge for apps using competing payment methods. Apple was found in contempt earlier for constructing its external purchase system in a way that made it impractical for developers. The company had been ordered to end anti-steering rules but attempted to minimize their impact through its fee structure.

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney celebrated the ruling on social media, declaring Apple's "delaying tactics have come to an end." The company had argued it shouldn't face lower court proceedings until the Supreme Court ruled, but that position has now been rejected. This saga began in 2020 when Epic purposefully violated App Store policies to trigger a lawsuit, launching a 1984-style advertisement portraying Apple as a monopolist.