London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jun 30, 2026

Apple shares fall after new ruling in Epic Games fight

Apple shares fall after new ruling in Epic Games fight

Apple investors are making their own determination following a legal ruling in its battle with Epic Games and there is no sign the saga will end anytime soon.

Apple shares dipped more than 2% after the tech giant was hit with an injunction on Friday in the company's legal battle with Fortnite creator Epic Games.

The injunction, from judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, will allow developers who use the company's App Store to put "buttons, external links, or other calls to action" within their apps and metadata that "direct customers to purchasing mechanisms, in addition to In-App Purchasing."

Apple can also no longer prohibit developers from communicating with customers through points of contact obtained voluntarily through account registration within apps.


The order, which will take effect in December, comes after Epic Games announced plans to implement its own in-app payment system in the popular video game last year to avoid paying Apple a 30% commission fee. In response to the move, Apple removed Fortnite from its App Store and restricted access to its iOS developer account. Epic fired back with an antitrust lawsuit, accusing Apple of using its App Store to stifle competition and maintain a monopoly over the app market.

Apple won on nine of 10 counts but was found to engage in anticompetitive conduct under California's Unfair Competition law.

"The Court concludes that Apple’s anti-steering provisions hide critical information from consumers and illegally stifle consumer choice," Rogers wrote in the ruling. "When coupled with Apple’s incipient antitrust violations, these anti-steering provisions are anticompetitive and a nationwide remedy to eliminate those provisions is warranted."

However, Rogers emphasized the court could not ultimately conclude Apple is a monopolist under federal or state antitrust laws.

"While the Court finds that Apple enjoys considerable market share of over 55% and extraordinarily high profit margins, these factors alone do not show antitrust conduct," Rogers added. "Success is not illegal."

In addition, Rogers ruled that Epic must pay 30% of all revenue collected through Fortnite's direct payment system since August 2020.


Prior to the ruling, Apple shares were trading at an all-time high of $154.30 per share.

Apple said it is "very pleased" with the court's ruling, which it considers to be a "huge win."

"This is a resounding victory and underscores the merit of our business both as an economic and competitive engine," Apple general counsel Kate Adams said in a statement.


Meanwhile, an Epic Games spokesperson confirmed to FOX Business that the company plans to appeal the ruling.

"Today's ruling isn't a win for developers or for consumers. Epic is fighting for fair competition among in-app payment methods and app stores for a billion consumers," Epic CEO Tim Sweeney tweeted. "Fortnite will return to the iOS App Store when and where Epic can offer in-app payment in fair competition with Apple in-app payment, passing along the savings to consumers."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Global Billionaire Numbers Rise 13 Percent Amid Artificial Intelligence Stock Boom
Body of Fifteen-Year-Old Boy Recovered from Manchester Reservoir
Major Rail Disruption in UK After Cows Stray Onto Intercity Tracks
UK Launches National Campaign to Reduce Water Consumption After Heatwave
Foreign Secretary David Lammy Raises Case of UK Woman Death with US Authorities
Shetland Islands Council Approves Subsea Tunnel Plans Linking Major Islands
Telegraph Media Group Takeover by German-Led Consortium Completed
Resident Doctors in England Accept Government Pay and Conditions Deal
Andy Burnham Sets Out Ten-Year Economic Vision Amid Labour Leadership Debate
Asylum Seekers in UK Face £10,000 Contribution Requirement Under New Law
UK Government Moves to Break Apple and Google App Store Dominance
New UK Steel Tariffs and Import Quotas Aim to Shield Domestic Industry
Damning Report Exposes Failures in Maternity and Neonatal Care Across England
Government Data Reveals Five Billion Pound Shortfall in UK Defence Budget
Prime Minister Keir Starmer Unveils Three Hundred Billion Pound Defence Investment Plan
UK Crime and Policing Act 2026 Comes into Force with New Justice System Reforms
UK Prime Minister Hosts NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte for Security Talks at Downing Street
UK Tightens Oversight of Emissions Trading Scheme Through New Ministerial Directions
UK Issues Statement at UN Security Council on Violence in the West Bank
UK Environment Agency Clears Illegal Waste Site in West Yorkshire After Court Action
UK Resident Sentenced for Fraudulently Claiming £30,000 in Covid Business Loans
UK Launches Taskforce to Help Young People Claim Dormant Child Trust Fund Savings
UK Gambling Commission Fines Betfred Operator Petfre Gibraltar £900,000 Over Social Responsibility Failures
UK Appoints Lord Collins as Global Envoy for LGBT+ Rights
UK Expands Detention Capacity to Support Removal of Foreign Criminals and Failed Asylum Seekers
UK Resident Doctors End Strike Action After Accepting Government Pay Deal
UK Tightens Sentencing for Domestic Killings with 25-Year Starting Point for Murder of Partners
UK to Build at Least Six New Royal Navy Warships Under Expanded Defence Programme
UK Government Unveils £5 Billion Defence Investment Plan Focused on Drones and Autonomous Warfare Systems
UK Economy Records 0.6% First Quarter Growth as Services and Manufacturing Drive Steady Expansion
Welsh Government Unveils New Agricultural Support Plan Focused on Sustainability and Rural Growth
UK Teacher Recruitment Shortfalls Continue in Science and STEM Subjects
Police Scotland Expands Cybercrime Investigations Amid Rising Digital Fraud
UK Universities Warn of Risk to International Student Numbers Amid Visa Changes
UK Defence Ministry Pivots Toward Greater Domestic Military Procurement
UK Launches National Rail Review After Repeated Service Disruptions
Northern Ireland Assembly Debates Long-Term Funding Settlement for Public Services
UK Accelerates Approval of North Sea Offshore Wind Projects to Expand Energy Capacity
UK Retail Sales Fall as Households Cut Discretionary Spending in June
UK Expands Border Intelligence Cooperation with France and Belgium to Target Smuggling Networks
Scottish Government Faces Pressure Over Delays in Major Infrastructure and Transport Projects
UK Launches Multi-Billion-Pound Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure Investment Fund
National Health Service Warns of Continued Emergency Department Strain Across England
Bank of England Signals Interest Rate Hold as Wage Growth Keeps Inflation Elevated
UK Sets Emergency Fiscal Strategy as Inflation Pressures and Weak Manufacturing Growth Persist
UK Launches New Measures to Improve Safety Standards in Night-Time Venues
UK Tightens Import Rules for Low-Value Parcels to Support Domestic Retailers
UK Launches £85 Million Obesity Care Programme Targeting Early Intervention Projects
UK Commits Up to $26 Million to Ebola Response in Democratic Republic of Congo
Security Industry Authority Flags Safety Failures in Night-Time Economy Inspections
×