The Epic Games vs. Apple litigation just saw the Cupertino firm score another win in a major appeal against the Fortnite maker. According to the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, it has affirmed a lower-court judge’s 2021 decision by rejecting claims made by Epic that Apple’s App Store violates federal law due to the Cupertino firm not allowing third-party app marketplaces on its iPhone operating system.
The information was first reported by Bloomberg, which got a statement from Apple:
“Today’s decision reaffirms Apple’s resounding victory in this case, with nine of 10 claims having been decided in Apple’s favor. For the second time in two years, a federal court has ruled that Apple abides by antitrust laws at the state and federal levels. The App Store continues to promote competition, drive innovation, and expand opportunity, and we’re proud of its profound contributions to both users and developers around the world. We respectfully disagree with the court’s ruling on the one remaining claim under state law and are considering further review.”
Apple win could mean iOS 17’s sideloading feature will be exclusive to Europe
Long story short, the Epic Games vs. Apple lawsuit started after the Fortnite maker created a workaround to paying a 30% fee on customers’ in-app purchases. Apple removed Fortnite from its store, and Epic filed a lawsuit.
After several controversies on Epic’s side, the US judiciary has given Apple the majority of wins by saying the App Store isn’t a monopoly, and the company is fine by functioning the way it does.
Even though Apple seems to continue controlling the apps installed on the iPhone through the App Store, the Cupertino firm has made several changes over the years to address complaints made by developers. In the European Union, on the other hand, the Digital Markets Act will make the company open its system for third-party app stores in the region as soon as next year, which will come with iOS 17.
BGR will keep reporting on the matter as the battle between the two companies unfolds.
