US Judge Rules Apple in Willful Contempt of Court Over Antitrust Violations
Apple faces potential criminal charges for violating antitrust orders aimed at its App Store practices, according to a scathing ruling from a federal judge.
Judge rules Apple 'willfully' violated antitrust order
Washington Examiner
Fortnite Is Returning to the iOS App Store
New York Post
Summary
A federal judge has ruled that Apple willfully violated a prior injunction intended to enhance competition in the App Store, prompting a referral for potential criminal contempt proceedings. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers criticized Apple's actions, describing them as deliberate efforts to maintain anticompetitive barriers, including hiding evidence and lying under oath. Apple executives, including CEO Tim Cook, were singled out for disregarding compliance advice. This ruling follows a series of antitrust fines and lawsuits, including a recent $571 million penalty from the European Commission. In a notable development, Epic Games announced plans to resubmit Fortnite on iOS following the ruling.
Sources (13)
- Apple has been accused of stifling competition and operating as a monopoly by imposing high fees on in-app purchases, according to the ruling.
- Judge Rogers stated that Apple's actions indicated a deliberate attempt to circumvent court orders and maintain its monopoly over app payments.
- The judge's ruling refers Apple to federal prosecutors for potential criminal contempt due to its failure to comply with the injunction.
Techdirt·20d· "…What makes this ruling so remarkable isn’t just the scathing language or even the criminal referral — it’s the sheer pointlessness of Apple’s defiance."
The Guardian·21d· "…Gonzalez Rogers suggested at an earlier hearing that changes made by Apple to its App Store had no purpose “other than to stifle competition”."
Wired·21d· "…Apple pursued its noncompliance strategy “with the express intent to create new anticompetitive barriers which would, by design and in effect, maintain a valued revenue stream; a revenue stream previously found to be anticompetitive.”"
CNN·21d· "…Gonzalez Rogers suggested at an earlier hearing that changes made by Apple to its App Store had no purpose "other than to stifle competition.""
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- 21d