Judge furious at Apple over antitrust ruling violations

A federal judge found that Apple wilfully refused to comply with the ruling in a 2021 antitrust case and ordered it to loosen rules on the App Store. Fortnite and Unreal Engine maker Epic Games had sued to force the company to allow third-party payment systems and to limit fees and other restrictions; the complicated verdict was not interpreted at the time as win for Epic, but here we are.

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ordered the iPhone-maker to allow developers to steer users to alternative methods of paying for services or subscriptions offered in the App Store. The company also can no longer impose fees in such scenarios or restrict the ability of software-makers to offer links or otherwise communicate alternate payment options with consumers.

Moroever, the judge was so annoyed by Apple's conduct that she suggested company executives be criminally prosecuted.

"Apple willfully chose not to comply with this court's injunction," she said in the ruling. "It did so with the express intent to create new anticompetitive barriers." She referred the case to federal prosecutors to determine whether a criminal contempt investigation is appropriate.

Epic more conclusively won a similar lawsuit against Google, with respect to its own mobile application restrictions.

You can read Gonzalez Rogers' entertainingly furious ruling.

Previously:
• Epic scores win over Google in court
• Epic Games sues Apple, antitrust lawsuit says App Store is a monopoly
• U.S. judge orders Google to allow alternative app stores