Epic vs. Apple Lawsuit Takes a Fresh Twist, With Attorneys General for 34 U.S. States Claiming the iPhone Maker ‘Stifles Competition’

Attorneys general for 34 U.S. states, coupled with the District of Columbia, have sided with Fortnite developer Epic Games, stating that Apple continues to stifle competition by having a monopoly on its App Store. A ruling happened back in 2021, with Apple claiming victory, but the appeals process continues to progress.

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The joint letter was led by the state of Utah, and joined by Colorado, Indiana, Texas, according to Reuters.

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“Apple’s conduct has harmed and is harming mobile app-developers and millions of citizens. Meanwhile, Apple continues to monopolize app distribution and in-app payment solutions for iPhones, stifle competition, and amass supracompetitive profits within the almost trillion-dollar-a-year smartphone industry. Paradoxically, firms with enough market power to unilaterally impose contracts would be protected from antitrust scrutiny — precisely the firms whose activities give the most cause for antitrust concern.”

In 2021, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers’ decision mostly ruled against Epic last year. However, both the game developer and Apple decided to appeal the original ruling as neither company was satisfied with the decision. Epic Games wanted the court to force Apple to support third-party App Store payment alternatives, which did not happen.

The judge ruled that the 15-30 percent commission that Apple charges some app makers through its in-app payment system did not violate antitrust law. To date, Apple has not allowed Fortnite back on the App Store for obvious reasons. Apple is expected to make a in reply March. The technology giant on Thursday felt confident that Epic Games’ challenge would fail, while also saying that it remains committed in ensure that its App Store maintains a layer of security for consumers, while also providing opportunities to developers.

Needless to say, this battle is far from over, and as always, we will provide you with more updates as time passes, so stay tuned.

News Source: Reuters