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Apple Faces Criminal Referral and Major Policy Shift After Antitrust Ruling

A U.S. court ruling forces Apple to end commissions on external payments and comply with strict antitrust measures while the company prepares an appeal.

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Un logo Apple est suspendu au-dessus de l’entrée du magasin Apple sur la 5e Avenue dans le quartier de Manhattan à New York.
AFP - Apple

Overview

  • Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled Apple violated a 2021 injunction by failing to comply with antitrust directives regarding external payments.
  • The court ordered Apple to cease charging commissions on out-of-App Store transactions and referred the company for potential criminal prosecution.
  • Apple updated its U.S. App Store policies to allow commission-free external payment platforms but strongly opposes the ruling and plans to appeal.
  • Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney celebrated the decision, calling it 'the end of the Apple tax' and a victory for developers' autonomy.
  • The ruling underscores increasing global scrutiny of tech giants’ platform practices, with Europe’s Digital Markets Act already enforcing similar measures.