Judge Rules Apple Violated Antitrust Laws, Orders Federal Prosecutors to Investigate

In a significant legal blow to Apple, a U.S. federal judge has ruled that the tech giant has violated antitrust laws by imposing restrictions on its App Store. The ruling, handed down by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, supports the claims made by Epic Games, the developer of "Fortnite," that Apple has not complied with a court order issued in 2021. This order required Apple to open its App Store to third-party payment systems and cease charging commissions on transactions made outside of its platform.

The judge's decision not only upholds Epic Games' allegations but also refers the case to federal prosecutors to investigate whether Apple's actions constitute criminal contempt of court. The San Francisco District Attorney's office declined to comment on the matter. This ruling could potentially impact Apple's App Store revenue, which generates hundreds of billions of dollars annually. Additionally, Apple faces another potential loss of tens of billions of dollars as the Department of Justice pursues an antitrust lawsuit against Alphabet, Google's parent company, which could prevent Google from paying substantial fees to be the default search engine in Safari.

This legal setback for Apple underscores the growing scrutiny that tech giants face from regulators and lawmakers worldwide. The ruling is a victory for app developers who have long argued that Apple's policies are unfair and stifle competition. It remains to be seen how Apple will respond to this legal setback and whether it will make changes to its App Store policies. The outcome of this case could set a precedent for how tech companies are regulated in the future, particularly regarding their control over app stores and digital marketplaces. The decision serves as a reminder that even the most powerful tech companies are not immune to legal challenges and regulatory scrutiny.