Apple Faces Tight Deadline for Document Submission in Epic Games Legal Battle

Apple is under pressure to produce over 1 million documents related to recent changes in its App Store policies, with a crucial deadline set for Monday, September 30.

Court Denies Apple’s Extension Request

On Friday, Judge Thomas S. Hixson denied Apple’s request for an extension, labeling the attempt as “bad behavior.” The judge made it clear that the deadline remains unchanged, stating, “It’s up to Apple to figure out how to meet the deadline, but Monday is indeed the deadline.”

Ongoing Legal Dispute with Epic Games

This deadline is part of the ongoing legal conflict between Apple and Epic Games, the developer behind Fortnite, which has been challenging Apple’s App Store regulations. Although Apple achieved a favorable outcome in U.S. district court, the court mandated the company to relax its App Store rules. This ruling has allowed developers greater flexibility to collect payments and subscription fees without relying solely on Apple’s in-app payment system.

As a result, Apple implemented changes to its App Store in January. However, the company continues to take a smaller commission from these transactions. Epic Games is now contesting Apple’s actions, claiming they are a form of “bad-faith” compliance with the court's ruling.

Judge's Critique of Apple’s Document Handling

In August, a judge ordered Apple to submit all documents related to its decision-making process regarding the new App Store rules. However, Apple informed the court that the search terms provided by Epic Games yielded more than double the anticipated number of documents, totaling over 1.3 million. Consequently, Apple requested an additional two weeks to review the materials.

Judge Hixson, overseeing the document discovery process, rejected Apple’s request for an extension. He criticized Apple’s last-minute announcement, which came just four days before the substantial completion deadline, suggesting that the company had ample time to prepare and should have been aware of the document count well in advance. He emphasized that with Apple’s considerable resources, the company “could probably review that many documents in a weekend.”

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Conclusion

As the deadline approaches, Apple must act swiftly to comply with the court’s order. The outcome of this legal battle could have significant implications for the company and its App Store practices, making this a pivotal moment in the ongoing dispute with Epic Games.