A new disappointment for the video game publisher Epic Games in the legal battle between it and Apple. After a lawsuit started in 2021 against the digital giant, the studio behind Fortnite he failed to convince the United States Federal Court of Appeals, known as “for the Ninth Circuit” (which handles cases involving the 15-district courts), which largely sided with his opponent, the network reports. American CNN on Monday, April 24.
The Court of Appeal thus concluded that Apple was creating “a heterogeneous market of application transaction platforms which therefore benefits competition”. However, he admitted that the company broke the law by failing to inform iOS users that they could use payment methods other than those offered on the App Store.
In addition, he said that Apple was in a position to ask Epic Games to cover the legal costs arising from the appeal, thus reversing the previous decision of another court.
“For the second time in two years, a US Federal Court has affirmed that Apple complies with federal and state antitrust laws. The App Store continues to promote competition, innovation and open opportunity, and we are proud to this contribution to users and developers around the world,” Apple said in a statement.
“They are not the necessary arguments”
This judicial decision could, in the future, make it more complex to impose on Apple a relaxation of its rules regarding the App Store, at the center of the contention between the two companies.
The tax in question
Precisely, at the origin of this trial is the 30% tax that Apple applies to purchases made through its App Store, its application store. To counteract this measure, Epic Games, at the origin of the popular online game Fortnite, offered in 2020 its players to go directly through its own payment system to limit costs and avoid the tax.
A situation that led Apple to make a radical decision, to withdraw – at least temporarily – Fortnite from the App Store until Epic Games complies with its terms of use.
At the end of a first agreement, in September 2021, the Court had affirmed that the digital giant was not in a monopoly situation in the mobile game transaction market, but that even its conditions of use had to evolve. From now on, the two parties have a few weeks to choose between a new hearing before the Court of Appeal or an appeal to the Supreme Court.
Source: BFM TV
