In a major victory for Apple and a major defeat for Epic Games, today it was decided that the App Store, which has one of the most strict policies in app distribution as per Apple always sees it as a strong point for macOS and iOS distribution within its hardware Macintosh and iPhone.

A little recap, after in 2020, Epic Games launched a patch for the iOS client of Fortnite including an built-in payment system where people could complete microtransactions without using Apple’s system which prompted the rejection.

Little did Apple know that this was a booby trap which served on Epic Games publicly announcing that it has sued the company for anti competitive behavior and the very same banning of the game and the banning of Epic Games as certified developer.

The second was the more damaging as Epic Games being unable to publish apps and programs, puts many games dependent on Unreal Engine support in jeopardy.

After many days of dirt sheets of the gaming industry back and forward, Apple managed to lose the case in which they wanted Epic Games to be completely banned ignoring pleas that it was not for the greater good of Unreal Engine, but also, Epic Games loses the anticompetitive claim.

That what came today as the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has determined that Apple did NOT violate anti competitive law as per the previous courtroom dictated.

The three judges panel said in their reply for the appeal decision in favor of Apple as quoted by Bloomberg:

“There is a lively and important debate about the role played in our economy and democracy by online transaction platforms with market power.

Our job as a federal court of appeals, however, is not to resolve that debate — nor could we even attempt to do so. Instead, in this decision, we faithfully applied existing precedent to the facts.”

Apple reacted claiming a “resounding victory,” saying nine out of 10 claims were decided in its favor.

Epic Games has not publicly reacted yet, and probably are evaluating a final step which in the US legal system is having the Supreme Court Of The United States but it is TWO BIG STEP because one is having SCOTUS listen to arguments and THEN come the decision which could easily take months.

Of course, Apple have been taking precautions as this cases actually fueled European Union to actually go to the direction that iOS needed sideloading apps no question asked, and while there are reports that Apple is doing so, under their terms that is, but this doesn’t mean that they are immune if SCOTUS actually hears Epic Games.

This of course, if Epic Games got the energy, time and money that the legal spending can take giving a case to the SCOTUS.