On Monday, Apple announced it would appeal a recent ruling from a US judge that mandated tech companies to make their app stores more competitive.
The company intends to prompt the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, based in San Francisco, to reassess the decision made on April 30. This ruling slightly diminished the previous orders stemming from a 2020 antitrust case filed by Epic Games.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers noted that Apple deliberately did not abide by the 2021 injunction, which was aimed at enabling developers to direct consumers toward more affordable payment options outside of Apple’s ecosystem.
Furthermore, Gonzalez Rogers mentioned that she had referred Apple and one of its executives to federal prosecutors regarding a potential criminal investigation. She expressed frustration over Apple’s attempts to stall compliance and accused the company of intentionally misleading the court.
“Apple has sought to preserve its massive revenue streams by opposing this court’s injunction,” she remarked.
Despite the legal turmoil, Apple has stood firm, refusing to breach the court’s orders.
As of now, neither Apple nor Epic Games has issued any statements regarding the ongoing situation.
In its notice of appeal, Apple outlined its upcoming legal arguments. The original lawsuit from Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, aims to dismantle Apple’s control over how transactions are conducted through applications on the iOS platform.
Judge Gonzalez Rogers has instructed Apple to cease several tactics she deemed as maneuvers to undermine prior injunctions, including the newly implemented fees of 27% charged to app developers for transactions occurring outside the App Store.
Additionally, she prohibited Apple from employing “Scare Screens,” which she believes prevent consumers from opting for third-party payment methods.
