Fortnite is returning to Apple's App Store in Australia after a federal court there ruled that Apple must open its iOS ecosystem to competition. The decision also requires Apple to allow alternative app stores without conditions and to let developers present alternative payment options. Apple said it disagrees with the court's findings and will challenge them. Epic Games announced the return in a post on X, calling the ruling a benefit for developers worldwide and for iOS users in Australia.
The Australian ruling follows the European Union's approach to opening Apple's ecosystem, and it includes provisions meant to block the kind of "malicious compliance" Apple has been accused of in the past, such as "Core Technology" fees or developer fees tied to third-party app stores. The court ordered Apple to permit third-party app stores on iOS and to let users download apps directly from developers.
Under the ruling, developers can offer alternative payment systems without what the court described as excessive Apple fees and conditions, and they cannot be forced to use Apple's in-app payment system. The App Store may not block developers from directing users to outside apps to make purchases, and users must not encounter "friction" when paying through alternative systems or installing apps from outside the App Store. The order runs 1,104 paragraphs, according to the report.
Apple must also pay 85 percent of Epic's legal costs, according to the ruling. The company must implement the orders by March 1, 2027, or provide proof by February 15, 2027, that it needs an extension. Apple told Reuters it disagrees with many parts of the decision and plans to appeal, and a spokesperson said the company would request a stay and seek a resolution that respects its intellectual property and protects the secure experience consumers and developers expect from the App Store.
Fortnite had returned to iOS worldwide in May 2026 but remained unavailable in Australia while the court battle continued. Epic said at the time that Apple was still enforcing terms Australian courts had found unlawful and that it was waiting for a final decision, which arrived yesterday.
The dispute carries weight for US developers and consumers because it tests whether court-ordered remedies in one country can force changes to Apple's App Store terms, including commissions and payment rules, that Apple has defended in other markets. Engadget said it had reached out to Epic and Apple for comment.
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