Apple has recently filed a motion requesting a court-ordered settlement conference with Epic Games, signaling a potential shift towards resolving their protracted legal dispute over App Store policies.
This development follows Apple’s submission of a proposed commission structure for transactions conducted outside the App Store’s In-App Purchase (IAP) system. The proposal suggests that Apple could impose commissions of up to 15% on purchases made through alternative payment methods. Epic Games has promptly contested this proposal, asserting that the suggested fees exceed the boundaries established by the Ninth Circuit’s guidelines on permissible charges.
In its motion, Apple has requested that Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers refer both parties to a settlement conference under the supervision of Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero. The motion indicates that Apple’s legal team approached Epic’s counsel on August 11, 2026, to discuss the possibility of such a conference, but Epic did not consent to the request. Apple argues that the court possesses the authority to mandate a settlement conference even without Epic’s agreement and emphasizes that the Ninth Circuit has encouraged both parties to negotiate an appropriate commission for external payment links.
Apple contends that engaging in confidential, non-adversarial settlement discussions could enhance the likelihood of reaching a practical resolution, potentially obviating the need for extended remand proceedings. Notably, the motion does not detail specific settlement proposals or offers but seeks the court’s intervention to initiate formal settlement talks.
This move by Apple suggests a strategic pivot towards negotiation, possibly aiming to mitigate the financial and reputational risks associated with prolonged litigation. For Epic Games, agreeing to settlement talks could provide an opportunity to influence App Store policies more directly. The outcome of this motion may set a precedent for how major tech companies address disputes over platform policies and developer relations in the future.
