On Monday, Apple announced it was appealing a decision from a US judge that required tech companies to make their app stores more competitive.
The company indicated it would seek the San Francisco-based Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to review a ruling from April 30, which somewhat loosened a prior order stemming from a 2020 antitrust case initiated by Epic Games.
US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers stated in her ruling that Apple had intentionally ignored a 2021 injunction intended to facilitate developers directing customers to cheaper payment alternatives outside of Apple’s ecosystem.
Additionally, the judge referred Apple and one of its executives to federal prosecutors over potential criminal investigations. She noted that Apple had attempted to delay proceedings and mislead the court.
“Apple has worked to sustain billions in revenue by directly opposing this court’s injunction,” remarked Gonzalez Rogers.
Despite this, Apple continued to refuse to comply with the court order’s terms.
As of now, neither Apple nor Epic Games has responded to requests for comments.
In its appeal, Apple included its intended legal arguments.
The lawsuit, brought by Epic Games—known for the popular online game Fortnite—seeks to challenge Apple’s control over how apps are distributed and how transactions are managed on the iOS platform.
Judge Gonzalez Rogers has mandated that Apple cease certain practices aimed at circumventing previous injunctions, which includes imposing a new 27% fee on developers for app purchases made outside the App Store.
She also prohibited Apple from employing so-called “Scare Screens” to discourage users from opting for third-party payment methods.
