Apple is facing serious accusations after a U.S. district judge found it willfully disregarded her orders in an ongoing legal dispute with Epic Games. The court ruling aimed to prevent anti-competitive practices in the App Store, allowing third-party payment options. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has referred the matter to the U.S. Attorney for Northern California, suggesting that a criminal contempt investigation may be warranted.
In her ruling, Judge Gonzalez claimed that a high-ranking Apple executive, Phillip Schiller, had lied under oath regarding the company's compliance with the injunction. Apple expressed its disagreement with the decision and plans to appeal, promising to respect the court's order moving forward.
This legal saga stems from a case initiated by Epic Games in 2021, where the Fortnite creators challenged the hefty 30% commission Apple takes on in-app purchases, labeling it as monopolistic behavior. When the judge ruled that Apple had to allow developers to link to their own payment systems, she intended to open up competition.
The judge's contempt finding highlights Apple's continued interference and decision-making that went against the court’s injunction. She reviewed internal documents, indicating that Apple knowingly chose anti-competitive actions despite a warning from within.
In response to the ruling, Epic Games' CEO Tim Sweeney hinted at possible reconciliation with Apple by proposing a "peace proposal" for Fortnite's return to the App Store if Apple agrees to apply a more lenient payment structure worldwide, potentially ending litigation on this matter. The fallout over Apple’s practices continues to evolve, potentially reshaping how app revenue is managed.
