Introduction to Apple’s Appeal

Last week, a federal judge made a ruling regarding Apple’s handling of fees for in-app transactions. As promised, Apple has now filed an appeal against the latest decision in the ongoing dispute over the company’s anti-competitive App Store policies. The initial 2021 ruling attempting to loosen Apple’s grip on in-app sales was largely ignored by the company, as it sought to circumvent the decision.

Background on the Case

While the company has updated its App Store guidelines to allow external payment options, it has now filed its promised appeal after making it clear last week that it strongly disagreed with the court’s decision. The outcome of the appeal remains uncertain, as Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers sternly reprimanded Apple in her latest ruling. According to the ruling, "Apple willfully chose not to comply with this Court’s Injunction. It did so with the express intent to create new anticompetitive barriers which would, by design and in effect, maintain a valued revenue stream; a revenue stream previously found to be anticompetitive. That it thought this Court would tolerate such insubordination was a gross miscalculation."

Ongoing Legal Battle

It’s unclear what Apple’s legal arguments will be or on what grounds the company is asserting its appeal. As the issue continues to be fought out in court, companies with a large presence on iOS, such as Epic Games and Spotify, are seeking to establish external payment methods for their apps. There is every chance that this legal battle could continue for years as Apple continues to defend one of its prime revenue streams and insist on its authority to take a commission from any transactions originating in apps from the App Store.

Conclusion

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-appeals-recent-ruling-against-anticompetitive-app-store-practices-191536385.html?src=rss