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Apple’s Anticompetitive App Store Practices Under Fire in Ruling
In a scathing ruling, the court has slapped Apple with civil contempt, citing the tech giant’s blatant disregard for a prior injunction aimed at addressing its anticompetitive app store practices.
The ruling comes after Apple was accused of violating a 2022 order that prohibited it from restricting external link-out transactions (ELTs) on its App Store. The original injunction had been put in place to ensure fair competition among developers and curb Apple’s dominance over the market.
According to court documents, Apple willfully chose not to comply with the order, intentionally creating new anticompetitive barriers that would maintain a valued revenue stream by restricting links to other payment systems. This move was seen as an attempt to maintain its illegal revenue stream and institute a new de facto structure.
The ruling highlights several egregious violations, including:
* Apple’s refusal to allow link-out transactions for digital goods, such as music or software, despite the original order permitting such transactions.
* The company’s deliberate misinterpretation of the injunction, attempting to justify restrictions on external payment links by claiming they were necessary for security and user experience. However, the court deemed these justifications “strained” and “questionable.”
* Apple’s attempt to downplay the significance of its compliance program, which was designed to restrict ELTs but failed to address the underlying issues.
The court took particular issue with Apple’s actions regarding Fortnite, a popular game that was removed from the App Store in 2020 due to disagreements over revenue sharing. The ruling states that Apple’s refusal to allow link-out transactions for digital goods would have allowed developers to offer alternative payment options and circumvent Apple’s in-app purchase system.
“We find that Apple’s conduct lacks any justification,” the court declared, emphasizing that its actions “completely ignore[s] this Court’s 180-page injunction and the Ninth Circuit’s 91-page opinion.”
As a result of these violations, Apple has been held in civil contempt. The ruling highlights the need for stricter regulations on app store practices to ensure fair competition among developers.
TechCrunch’s Sarah Perez reports that this ruling marks a significant blow to Apple’s dominance over the App Store and raises questions about the company’s commitment to fostering innovation and healthy competition.
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Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/01/read-the-juiciest-bits-from-the-court-ruling-against-apple-over-its-anticompetitive-app-store-practices/
