Federal Court Issues Mixed Verdict in Epic Games Antitrust Suit Against Apple
A California federal judge rules that Apple is not an illegal monopolist but blocks its anti-steering rules, allowing developers to point users to outside payment methods. Epic Games immediately files an appeal to challenge the decision.
A federal judge in California rules that Epic Games fails to prove its core antitrust claims against Apple, allowing the tech giant to keep the App Store as the exclusive marketplace for iOS applications. The court determines that Epic does not provide sufficient evidence to show Apple holds an illegal monopoly in the mobile app distribution market.
Despite this major victory for Apple, the judge issues a permanent injunction against the company's "anti-steering" provisions. This ruling enables app developers to include links and information inside their apps that direct users to alternative payment platforms, creating a pathway for developers to bypass Apple's standard 30% commission fee on in-app purchases.
Epic Games quickly responds by filing a notice of appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Unless a higher court issues a stay, the injunction against Apple's anti-steering rules takes effect on December 9, 2021, while the separate antitrust case against Google remains pending.