A US district judge ruled that Apple did not comply with her prior injunction order. A U.S. federal judge has ruled that Apple Inc. intent...
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| A US district judge ruled that Apple did not comply with her prior injunction order. |
According to the court, Apple continued to impose design restrictions that made it cumbersome for developers to link to external websites or promote non-App Store payment methods. The judge noted Apple’s updated rules as being “unnecessarily complicated and burdensome,” and declared the company in non-compliance with the original order.
As a consequence, the judge has now referred the case to the U.S. Department of Justice for review and potential criminal contempt proceedings. This step is considered rare and serious in civil litigation, reflecting the court's frustration with what it described as Apple’s “deliberate disobedience” of legal mandates.
The legal battle stems from a 2020 lawsuit brought by Epic Games, the creator of the hit game Fortnite. Epic accused Apple of maintaining an unlawful monopoly by forcing developers to use its payment system and taking up to a 30% commission on app and in-app purchases. While Apple largely prevailed in most of Epic’s antitrust claims, the court still mandated the tech giant to ease restrictions on developer communications — the part Apple is now found to have flouted.
Apple has responded to the ruling by claiming it made good-faith efforts to comply with the injunction, but the judge disagreed, saying the company's policies still serve to “discourage developers from steering users to alternative purchasing options.” Legal experts suggest the DOJ's involvement could result in fines, stricter regulations, or even further legal action if contempt is proven.
The case comes at a time of increased scrutiny on Big Tech firms both in the U.S. and internationally. In the European Union, Apple faces pressure under the new Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires greater openness and interoperability across digital platforms. Regulators in countries including Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom are also investigating Apple’s App Store practices.
While Apple has not yet commented further on the judge’s referral to the DOJ, developers and digital rights advocates have welcomed the ruling as a potential turning point in the long-standing battle over platform fairness and user choice.
