Epic Games has secured a procedural win in its legal battle with Apple, as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has denied Apple’s request to pause its fee changes. This means developers can continue using external payments without charging fees, thwarting Apple's attempts to delay the inevitable.

Apple had initially been granted permission to temporarily halt the required App Store changes while seeking Supreme Court review. However, Epic Games saw through this as 'another delay tactic' and successfully contested it, forcing the tech giant to keep its fee changes in place for now.

The final outcome of this case will determine whether Apple can charge fees on purchases made outside its U.S. App Store, and if so, how much. The ruling could have significant implications for developers and users alike, as it may alter how apps are monetized on the platform.

In a post on X, Epic Games celebrated the court’s decision in their favor, stating that Apple had failed to show good cause to sustain its prior stay order. Essentially, the court wasn’t convinced that Apple would suffer serious damage if the App Store changes remained in place while the legal battle continued.

This development is a testament to Epic's resilience and determination to challenge Apple’s dominance in the app market. As the case heads towards potentially even higher courts, it remains to be seen how it will impact the future of app development and distribution on Apple devices.