A federal judge has determined that Apple willfully violated a court injunction aimed at curbing its anticompetitive practices and accused a high-ranking executive of lying under oath. The judge's findings stem from a lawsuit against Apple by Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers stated that she would refer the case to the US Attorney for Northern California to decide on a criminal contempt proceeding against the tech giant.
Apple Under Investigation for Violating Court Injunction in Epic Games Case
Apple Under Investigation for Violating Court Injunction in Epic Games Case
A US district judge has recommended a criminal contempt investigation of Apple for allegedly disregarding court orders.
In a decision made public on Wednesday, the judge highlighted Apple's continued interference with competitive practices, in direct violation of the injunction issued in 2021. This injunction was designed to permit developers to link directly to their own payment systems, breaking Apple's monopoly on in-app purchases. Documents reviewed by the judge revealed that Apple was aware of its malpractices yet opted for the most anticompetitive actions in its operations.
The ruling suggested that Apple's CEO Tim Cook disregarded warnings from his executive team regarding compliance with the injunction. The court's findings culminated in accusations that CFO Luca Maestri swayed Cook's decision-making against compliance, while Vice President Alex Roman was accused of lying during his testimony.
One of the key issues highlighted was Apple's issuance of a new 27% commission for off-app purchases, a significant increase from their prior policy of charging nothing, which the judge said was an obstruction to competition. Epic Games founder Tim Sweeney responded positively to the developments, indicating that Fortnite would return to the iOS App Store next week. He suggested a collaborative resolution, proposing that if Apple adopts a non-fee framework universally, Epic would cease ongoing litigation. This initiative could signify a shift in policies as notable as those presented in Europe's Digital Markets Act, contesting what Sweeney termed "Apple's Tax" in app transactions.
The ruling suggested that Apple's CEO Tim Cook disregarded warnings from his executive team regarding compliance with the injunction. The court's findings culminated in accusations that CFO Luca Maestri swayed Cook's decision-making against compliance, while Vice President Alex Roman was accused of lying during his testimony.
One of the key issues highlighted was Apple's issuance of a new 27% commission for off-app purchases, a significant increase from their prior policy of charging nothing, which the judge said was an obstruction to competition. Epic Games founder Tim Sweeney responded positively to the developments, indicating that Fortnite would return to the iOS App Store next week. He suggested a collaborative resolution, proposing that if Apple adopts a non-fee framework universally, Epic would cease ongoing litigation. This initiative could signify a shift in policies as notable as those presented in Europe's Digital Markets Act, contesting what Sweeney termed "Apple's Tax" in app transactions.
