Microsoft has thrown its support behind Epic Games, the creator of “Fortnite,” in its ongoing legal disputes with Apple. The tech giant, led by Tim Cook, argues that it has been motivated to push forward with plans for an Xbox mobile store as a result of Apple’s restrictions.
In a legal brief filed in a California federal court, Microsoft contended that Apple’s limitations have hindered the launch of its own online store. Consequently, they advocated that injunctions against Apple should still be applied while the case is under appeal.
“The injunction allows Apple to maintain in-app exclusivity, yet Microsoft is trying to offer consumers an alternative by launching its own online platform,” Microsoft stated, as noted by various sources.
“That’s what Microsoft aims to do, but Apple is effectively blocking this solution,” the filing elaborated.
Moreover, Apple is under scrutiny from US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who has even indicated the possibility of criminal charges from the Department of Justice for knowingly breaching a 2021 injunction designed to ease restrictions affecting third-party app developers.
Apple is now seeking a temporary stay on the ruling while it appeals, claiming potential losses in the billions.
On Tuesday, Rogers addressed Apple’s failure to comply, warning that company officials must be personally responsible for ensuring adherence to the court order. If the issue isn’t resolved, they might be required to appear in court on May 27.
Microsoft, in its filing, also mentioned the need for an injunction to implement new features for their Xbox app on Apple devices.
“In addition, Microsoft has long requested that iOS Xbox app users have the ability to purchase and stream in-app games from the cloud or other platforms,” the filing noted. “Apple’s restrictions are holding back these capabilities; an injunction would allow Microsoft to explore these options.”
Meanwhile, “Fortnite” has made its way back to the App Store after nearly five years of being banned, following Judge Rogers’ critical remarks directed at Apple for their prior violations on April 30.
In her ruling, Rogers noted that Cook “poorly chose” to direct employees to ignore earlier injunctions, while a finance vice president was accused of providing false testimony under oath.
Rogers has imposed additional limitations on Apple, including orders to cease charging competitive developers like Epic 27%, which encourages them to direct consumers towards external purchasing methods, and mandating an end to restrictions on customer directions away from the App Store.
Fortnite was initially banned from the App Store in 2020, resulting from violations of in-app payment policies, which sparked this ongoing legal struggle between the two technology firms.
