Since that trial ended, Apple has taken two steps to loosen some of its App Store rules.
A federal judge ordered Apple to destroy part of the competing barricade guarding its close App Store, threatening one of the iPhone maker’s biggest moneylenders. It could also potentially save app developers billions of dollars by encouraging them to reduce the prices consumers pay.
The challenge was put up by Epic Games, best known as the creators of Fortnite, the popular video game played by nearly 400 million people worldwide. Apple shares fell sharply soon after the ruling was issued and were trading down 3% on Friday. Epic is a private company based in Cary, North Carolina.
The legal battle targeted the commission of up to 30% that Apple is charging on digital transactions within the app. Such transactions can include everything from Netflix or Spotify subscriptions to the sale of virtual tchotchkes for digital items such as songs, movies or video games.
Epic pitched that overly lucrative fee as a pricing strategy that wouldn’t be possible if competing stores were allowed to offer iPhone apps.
The decision is likely to be appealed by one or both the companies.
The 185-page ruling, issued Friday by US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, comes three months after the conclusion of a trial focused on one of the pillars holding up Apple’s $2 trillion empire – one that Apple’s late co-founder said. Steve Jobs started shaping 20 years ago. Earlier.
Since that trial ended, Apple has taken two steps to loosen some of its App Store rules — one to settle the lawsuit and another to appease Japanese regulators without altering its commissions. Those concessions make it easier for many apps to pay their users for digital transactions that avoid triggering Apple’s fees.
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