Apple is appealing a recent contempt ruling by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, which it describes as an “extraordinary” and illegal overreach. The tech giant has appealed to a higher court to halt the ruling that could radically transform its App Store business model.
The judge ruled that Apple was in willful breach of a 2021 injunction that came about from an antitrust lawsuit by Epic Games. That order compelled Apple to enable developers to notify users of other cheaper payment options outside the App Store—a step that was intended to curb anti-competitive practices. However, Judge Gonzalez Rogers ruled last week that Apple continued to suppress competition, allegedly by introducing new fees to circumvent the ruling.
Apple has opposed the judge’s findings, claiming that the order unlawfully limits its control over the core business functions and compels it to hand over access to its intellectual property. In its court filing, Apple argued that it is being punished for conduct that has not been proven unlawful.
Epic Games reacted on social media, saying that the court’s move has already brought actual competition and better options to consumers. It accused Apple of attempting to stall the inevitable with “junk fees” that hurt both developers and users.
Judge Gonzalez Rogers has referred Apple’s behavior to federal prosecutors to determine whether there are potential criminal contempt charges. She criticized CEO Tim Cook for refusing to listen to internal advice to follow the original injunction, pointing out that Apple kept taking the most anti-competitive route.
As the legal fight heats up, Apple states that it will follow the ruling during the appeal process. Meanwhile, Epic keeps trying to relaunch Fortnite on Apple devices, a major flashpoint in the current feud over app store supremacy and digital marketplace integrity.
