apple A federal judge said in a blatant decision that refers the company to the prosecutors to conduct a possible criminal investigation, that the company “violates the order of the court”, which is required to open the application store in front of external payment options and must stop shipping commissions on purchases outside its software market.
The American boycott judge, iPhone Gonzalez Rogers, sided on Wednesday withFortniteMaker Epic Games Inc. In her claim that the iPhone manufacturer failed to comply with an order issued in 2021 after finding the company participating in anti -competition behavior in violation of the California Law.
Gonzalez Rogers also referred the case to federal prosecutors to an investigation whether Apple had committed criminal contempt for the court to cancel its ruling in 2021.
The judge found that Apple “intentionally” violated her al -Zarji.
She wrote in her ruling: “He did this with an explicit intention to create new anti -competition barriers, which, according to design, and in fact, maintain the flow of valuable revenues, which is the flow of revenues previously found to be anti -competition.” “This believes that this court will tolerate such a rebellion was a serious miscalculation.”
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games at a post on social media, said the company will return Fortnite To the American application store next week.
After a trial in 2021, Gonzalez Rogers has largely sided with Apple, saying that its application store policies did not violate the Federal Monopathic Act. However, I asked the company to allow developers to exceed the application tool to avoid a commission of up to 30 %. The ruling was ultimately supported by the US Supreme Court.
Apple allowed developers to direct users to the web to complete transactions for purchases within the application, but they asked the developers to pay the 27 % discount of the revenues they achieved.
Over the course of several weeks of listening sessions in February and last year, Gonzalez Rogers seemed skeptical in the compliance of Apple and wondered whether the information that was incorrectly protected by confirming the confidentiality of the client lawyer.
On Wednesday’s ruling, the judge said that Apple tried to cover up the 2021.
“After two groups of the listening sessions, the truth appeared,” wrote Gonzalez Rogers. “Apple, despite the knowledge of its obligations according to it, thwarted the goals of the irritable matter, and continued its anti -competing behavior to maintain the flow of its revenues.”
The judge said Alex Roman, Vice President of Apple Finance, lied to the position of witnesses.
The case is Epic Games Inc. Against Apple Inc. , 20-CV-05640, the American Provincial Court, North California Province (Auckland).
This story was originally shown on Fortune.com
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