In a significant court ruling, Apple has been found in contempt by a U.S. federal court for violating an injunction concerning its App Store operations. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers concluded that Apple willfully ignored a 2021 directive that required the tech giant to permit app developers to guide users to alternate payment solutions outside of Apple's proprietary system, according to Reuters. This marks a major development in the ongoing battle over App Store policies and developer rights.
The court's decision highlighted that, despite the previous injunction, Apple imposed a new 27% fee on sales made through external payment systems, and restricted external payment links—actions that Epic Games contended undermined the legal order. Additionally, the judge referred Apple and its Vice President of Finance, Alex Roman, to federal prosecutors for potential criminal contempt, citing misleading testimony. With immediate effect, Judge Rogers barred Apple from hindering communications between developers and users and from imposing new charges on external purchases, thus enforcing compliance with the court's orders.
Epic Games received the ruling favorably, with CEO Tim Sweeney describing it as a 'significant win for developers'. Epic announced plans to reintroduce Fortnite to the App Store, highlighting the potential impact of the ruling on future developer relations. Apple, on the other hand, stated that it had made efforts to align with the court's demands while safeguarding its business interests and customer experiences.