A US judge rules that Apple violated a 2021 court order to open the App Store to third-party payment options, and refers the case for a criminal investigation

Gonzalez Rogers also referred the case to federal prosecutors to investigate whether Apple committed criminal contempt of court for flouting her 2021 ruling.

Bloomberg 2025-05-01 Josh Sisco

Context & Ripple Effects

This is an enforcement escalation in the Epic-era App Store dispute. The court had already required Apple to permit developers to direct users to outside payment options in the 2021 anti-steering order, after a temporary 2023 pause gave Apple time to pursue further review.

Apple later sought to narrow or discard that injunction, while a separate certified class action over restrictions on iPhone app purchases kept the company’s App Store rules under legal scrutiny. The violation finding shifts attention from the validity of the order to whether Apple complied with it.

First-order effects

Apple faces a judicial finding that it violated the payment-links order and a referral to federal prosecutors to assess possible criminal contempt; neither outcome itself establishes a criminal charge.
Developers seeking to steer customers to external payment options gain a stronger enforcement basis for invoking the 2021 injunction against Apple.

Second-order effects

The ruling raises the cost to Apple of pursuing narrow compliance measures or further delay, especially after the court later declined to pause key parts of the opening-up order.
App developers and plaintiffs in adjacent App Store cases can point to the compliance dispute as evidence that formal policy changes may require close judicial oversight.

Third-order effects

If enforcement holds, platform injunctions may become a more concrete constraint on gatekeeper control: courts can scrutinize not only whether a platform changes its rules, but whether those changes preserve meaningful alternatives.
The case reinforces a broader shift from challenges to app-store restrictions toward contesting how dominant platforms implement remedies, with the eventual scope still dependent on court outcomes.

The trend: This is one data point in the move from regulating platform rules on paper to testing whether gatekeepers make mandated competitive options usable in practice.

Discussion

@riley.social Riley Testut on bluesky
I'm not a lawyer, but if my company was currently being sued by the DOJ for anticompetitive behavior, I probably wouldn't lie under oath in a closely-related case... But maybe that's just me!
@manton.org Manton Reece on bluesky
Huge new ruling by the judge in the Epic Games case. Hope to take advantage of this as soon as possible in Micro.blog to let people subscribe from the iOS app. Finally a clear voice of reason in the App Store.
@reckless Nilay Patel on bluesky
Sure but a district court judge wasn't gonna mess around with the standards in 2021
@ernie.tedium.co Ernie Smith on bluesky
Apple vs. Epic turns out to have a hell of a clawback. And it's all because Apple refused to follow even the narrow ruling it was given. — Damn, Apple is screwed. This does not look good for their antitrust case with the DOJ — www.theverge.com/news/659246/ ...
@wario64 @wario64 on bluesky
Epic says Fortnite is coming back to iOS in the US next week — “Effective immediately, Apple is no longer allowed to collect fees on purchases made outside apps and blocks the company from restricting how developers can point users to where they can make purchases outside of ap…
@reckless Nilay Patel on bluesky
My basic summary of what just happened to Apple: — Epic filed a case with a bunch of hipster antitrust ideas in it — The district court was like, man the App Store is bad, but I'm not going to go out on a limb expanding federal law, I'm doing this injunction under CA state law …
@reckless Nilay Patel on bluesky
- Apple declared victory bc it had won the fed claims, assumed it'd win the state claims on appeal — Whoops, 9th Circuit upheld the ruling! SC did not grant cert — Apple treated CA ruling like annoyance compared to the games it's playing around the world — Judge finally had e…
@carnage4life Dare Obasanjo on bluesky
In a major setback for Apple, a judge banned it from taking commissions on purchases made outside the App Store, citing “willful” defiance of past orders. — The judge has referred to the US attorney for possible criminal contempt charges over Apple's anticompetitive conduct.
@caylen @caylen on bluesky
holy fucking shit Epic won — this is huge, massively positive news for the games industry at large! Epic isn't an angel but their case and cause on this was 110% the correct decision — App Store not being able to gate 3rd party purchases in the US is !!!!! — www.theverge.c…
@reckless Nilay Patel on bluesky
“A more effective button would increase competition” my god it's a murder www.theverge.com/news/659246/ ... [image]
@reichlinmelnick Aaron Reichlin-Melnick on bluesky
GodDAMN this ruling against Apple in the Epic lawsuit is brutal. This is a judge who is outright furious at a company and it is not going well for them. — s3.documentcloud.org/documents/ 25... [image]
@zhugeex.com Daniel Ahmad on bluesky
This is a win for Epic Games and all developers in the US. — Apple can no longer stop developers from directing their users to make payments outside the App Store. It also stops Apple from collecting its commission fee on payments made outside the App Store. [embedded post]
@timsweeneyepic Tim Sweeney on x
NO FEES on web transactions. Game over for the Apple Tax. Apple's 15-30% junk fees are now just as dead here in the United States of America as they are in Europe under the Digital Markets Act. Unlawful here, unlawful there. 4 years 4 months 17 days. [image]
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
Apple: “We strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court's order and we will appeal.”
@amandalws Amanda Lewis on x
🚨"Apple willfully chose not to comply with this Court's Injunction. It did so with the express intent to create new anticompetitive barriers....That it thought this Court would tolerate such insubordination was a gross miscalculation....[T]here is no second bite at the apple."🚨
@seanobannon_ Sean O'Bannon on x
@TimSweeneyEpic This judge is not messing around [image]
@rauchg Guillermo Rauch on x
This is a huge deal and a huge win for the web... No fees on web transactions from  iOS apps in the USA 🇺🇸 (nor Europe 🇪🇺 via Digital Markets Act.) The Court has ruled that “linked-out purchases” defined as"purchases made off the Apple platform, but from which a consumer can [im…
@azianmike Michael Luo on x
This is huge.
@pat_garofalo @pat_garofalo on x
Reminder that this all came about because the judge ruled that Apple had violated California law. State antitrust and competition laws are very important! https://www.nytimes.com/...
@keleftheriou Kosta Eleftheriou on x
Apple utterly failed to read the courtroom, and snatched defeat from the jaws of their earlier victory. You reap what you sow.
@balancecrafting @balancecrafting on x
Background on Apple's responses to injxn: 🛑Court said stop 30% private tax on in-app transactions; Apple added new 27% charge to purchases on devs' own websites 🛑Court said stop preventing devs from communicating w/ customers; Apple made new barriers 🤥Apple lied to court [image]
@azianmike Michael Luo on x
Stripe 🤝iOS developers Big news iOS app developers! You can now accept payments with @stripe outside of your app, with no iOS app store commissions. The Stripe team 🧑‍🍳cooked up a quick guide walking you through how. Go live now! Docs in the 🧵 [video]
@dhh @dhh on x
Apple's loss in court is immediately opening up a whole new world for app developers. Entire business models were impossible under the old 30% regime. Look at this beautifully simply flow from Stripe! IAP might still have a place, but for many, taking payments on the web is 👌
@apollozac Zac Hall on x
so uh how bout that apple earnings call tomorrow
@mikeisaac Rat King on x
not only did Apple lose its battle with epic over App Store fees, its VP of Finance appears to be in deep shit [image]
@alexeheath Alex Heath on x
feels significant that the AI race is underway while governments are forcing Apple and Google to open up their platforms
@steventey Steven Tey on x
What an EPIC day for iOS app developers worldwide. The court ruled that “linked-out purchases” are no longer subject to the infamous ~30% Apple tax. Prediction: This will drive an influx of volume to payment platforms like @stripe / @polar_sh etc. This will make mobile deep li…
@alexeheath Alex Heath on x
This is incredibly damning of Apple — the judge even recommends criminal content proceedings! Huge ramifications for the app economy too https://www.theverge.com/...
@joannastern Joanna Stern on x
Wow, this updated Epic v. Apple ruling. What a read! Especially how Apple executives, including Cook, edited the “scare screen” that would appear when users tried to access alternative payment methods. One employee suggested using the phrase “external website” because it “soun…
@alexeheath Alex Heath on x
Wow: The judge in Epic Games v. Apple says that an Apple VP “lied under oath” and that Tim Cook “chose poorly” by not actually following her earlier ruling that barred fees on purchases made outside the App Store. “In the end, Apple sought to maintain a revenue stream worth bill…
@nhegde Nidhi Hegde on x
Big props to @TimSweeneyEpic for taking on a giant and winning! Fortnite is freed. :-) and beyond that this is huge for app developers in the US.
@dhh @dhh on x
Apple was asked by the judge to give up almost nothing in the first round of this lawsuit. They refused. Now they have to give up everything. Epic win by @TimSweeneyEpic and @MarkRein. Justice prevails in the end. Incredible day for app developers everywhere 🪩 [image]
@sladebond Slade Bond on x
Court orders are not suggestions. “In stark contrast to Apple's initial in-court testimony, contemporaneous business documents reveal that Apple knew exactly what it was doing and at every turn chose the most anticompetitive option. To hide the truth, Vice-President of Finance,…
@stevemoser Steve Moser on x
Apple intentionally using scare tactics is really bad. From the Apple court ruling: “In Slack communications dated November 16, 2021, the Apple employees crafting the warning screen for Project Michigan discussed how best to frame its language. Mr. Onak suggested the warning [ima…
@matthewstoller Matt Stoller on x
Holy #^^# Apple was found in contempt for violating a judicial order. CRIMINAL CONTEMPT “The Court refers the matter to the United States Attorney for the Northern District of California to investigate whether criminal contempt proceedings are appropriate.”
@mgsiegler M.G. Siegler on x
Tim Sweeney's last laugh...
@jason_kint Jason Kint on x
This week I walked between courtrooms as Google faced remedies for antitrust (search) and Facebook stood trial for antitrust. Friday, in VA remedies kick off in Google's adtech case. And tonight, Apple gets hit with an injunction and a criminal contempt referral. It's Wednesday.
@dhh @dhh on x
Cook could have had everything: The love of users, the love of developers, and trillions in value to Apple. But he got blinded by the marginal dollar. Just a little more, then just everything from everyone! Apple's entitlement to the fruits of all apps proved poisonous.
@balancecrafting @balancecrafting on x
Here's the procedural rule under which the court made the criminal referral. Judges fashioning remedies other Big Tech cases should keep this cite handy {Better yet, to avoid exhaustive nonsense of enforcing behavioral remedies, err on side of structural remedies!} [image]
@tomwarren Tom Warren on x
the judge in Epic v. Apple has just put Apple on blast over its anticompetitive behavior. Apple is no longer allowed to collect fees on purchases made outside apps, and Apple might face possible criminal contempt proceedings https://www.theverge.com/... [image]
@timsweeneyepic Tim Sweeney on x
What a week, huh?
@timsweeneyepic Tim Sweeney on x
Northern District of California court has ruled on the Epic v Apple anti-steering injunction's contempt of court proceeding! Details incoming! [image]
@jeiting Jacob Eiting on x
This is actually a big deal. YGR just eviscerated Apple's ability to force payments exclusively through the App Store in the US. She enforced the injunction against apple with a vengeance. Effective immediately. Here's what it means for app developers: https://www.theverge.com/..…
@dhh @dhh on x
The nonsense of charging developers 30% commission on links to their own websites and reserving the right to audit their books is key to this contempt of court ruling. It truly was an outrageous, monopolistic overreach. Amazing to see the judge call it as such. [image]
@dhh @dhh on x
Bottom line: Tim Cook has to go. He's presided over criminal conduct at Apple in this case. Exposed Apple to insane legal liability and incredible fury from developers. All to squeeze every last drop out of a tollbooth that was already yielding plenty. He's unfit to lead Apple. […
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
On @TheTerminal: Epic Games has won its motion for California court to force injunction against Apple related to App Store policies. The judge is referring Apple to the Attorney General for criminal contempt of court probe.
@mayazi Maya Zehavi on x
The Apple-Epic ruling is a huge opportunity for stablecoins to become an alternative as in-app payment processor alternative. On-chain programable payments might be having a moment soon! https://www.theverge.com/...
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
The most egregious claim from Apple over the entirety of the Epic lawsuit was that it doesn't know how much profit the App Store makes. The most detail oriented, financially savvy company in the world doesn't know how much profit it makes in a major business unit. Right.
@geneburrus Gene Burrus on x
Just as it was with DMA section 5(4), compliance for Apple literally was as simple as striking the anti-steering provision from its developer agreements. A few red lines. Instead, Apple chose defiance of the European Commission and a US District Court.
@jason_kint Jason Kint on x
Statement below on the landmark order v Apple tonight. DCN sends a huge tip of its hat to the entire team at Epic Games on their landmark victory which will help inject oxygen into the app store ecosystem. [image]
@ericmigi Eric Migicovsky on x
Apple hates iOS app developers. They were dumb enough to write it out clearly in slack. They go out of their way to make your life worse. [image]
@jason_kint Jason Kint on x
!!!! Epic just took a sledgehammer to Apple in its antitrust lawsuit. Court finds against Apple and its compliance theatre killing all commissions for 3rd party sales and issuing sanctions against Apple for its Kent Walker-like fake privilege. A BFD!!! Congrats, Epic. 1/3 [image]
r/atrioc r on reddit
A judge just blew up Apple's control of the App Store
r/applesucks r on reddit
A judge just blew up Apple's control of the App Store | The Verge
r/iphone r on reddit
A judge just blew up Apple's control of the App Store | The Verge
r/wallstreetbets r on reddit
A judge just blew up Apple's control of the App Store
r/technology r on reddit
A judge just blew up Apple's control of the App Store
r/technews r on reddit
A judge just blew up Apple's control of the App Store
r/apple r on reddit
Apple Failed to Open App Store to Competition, Judge Rules
@timsweeneyepic Tim Sweeney on x
We will return Fortnite to the US iOS App Store next week. Epic puts forth a peace proposal: If Apple extends the court's friction-free, Apple-tax-free framework worldwide, we'll return Fortnite to the App Store worldwide and drop current and future litigation on the topic.
@gruber John Gruber on x
How are you going to return to the U.S. App Store when you still don't have a developer account? Did I miss the part where the ruling requires Apple to allow Epic back? This is a huge and humiliating loss for Apple, but they lost here to the law (and common sense), not to Epic
@timsweeneyepic Tim Sweeney on x
@ScorpioRysing The court has ruled on what the fair share is, and we will now happily pay it.
@patrickmcgee_ Patrick McGee on x
Judge in the antitrust case against @Apple isn't pulling punches: [image]
@stephentotilo Stephen Totilo on x
Epic-Apple tonight - Brutal court ruling against Apple, calling for criminal investigation - Court orders Apple to stop charging fees on off-app purchases - Epic promises quick Fortnite iOS return - Apple ignores that, plans to appeal - Tim Sweeney talks https://www.gamefile.news…
@bzamayo Benjamin Mayo on x
‘Court judge restrains Apple from preventing Amazon to offer a better user experience when buying books in the Kindle app’ The narrative for Apple is awful on this one, they just don't have a leg to stand on.
@bzamayo Benjamin Mayo on x
Ultimately, Apple wants to monetise its platform and so almost everything it does on this axis will be ‘anti-consumer’, but it didn't even try for a reasonable compromise here. And now, it has finally got the book thrown at it.
@sweetpotatoes Nicole Carpenter on x
Tim Sweeney clarified on a call with press that this relies on Apple approving Fortnite: “Apple could arbitrarily reject Epic from the App Store despite us following all of the rules. But, you know, that they would have to deal with various consequences of that, if they did.”
@jakesucky Jake Lucky on x
Fortnite will return to iOS/Apple Store next week for the first time in over 4 years Confirmed by Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney [image]
@wario64 @wario64 on x
Epic says Fortnite is coming back to iOS in the US next week https://www.theverge.com/... “Effective immediately, Apple is no longer allowed to collect fees on purchases made outside apps and blocks the company from restricting how developers can point users to where they can mak…
r/fuckepic r on reddit
‘Fortnite’ Will Return to U.S. iOS App Store After Court Finds Apple Willfully Violated Court Order in Epic Games Suit
r/iosgaming r on reddit
‘Fortnite’ to Return to iOS App Store After Court Finds Apple Violated Order
r/Games r on reddit
‘Fortnite’ Will Return to U.S. iOS App Store After Court Finds Apple Willfully Violated Court Order in Epic Games Suit
r/technology r on reddit
‘Fortnite’ Will Return to U.S. iOS App Store After Court Finds Apple Willfully Violated Court Order in Epic Games Suit
@emilprotalinski Emil Protalinski on bluesky
A company executive lied under oath? And the US will do nothing? Say it ain't so! [embedded post]
@folletto Erin Casali on bluesky
While I thought Tim Sweeney take was a bit excessive at the time, I can't avoid thinking how stupid it's been of them to not listen to Phil Schiller. — This was a bad decision. While it's obvious they will appeal (that's just “playing the game") I also hope they internally see…
@ashleygjovik Ashley M. Gjøvik on bluesky
A helpful development as I'm drafting my 9th Circuit appellate brief arguing why I should be able to pursue the RICO claim against Apple for, among other racketeering, their incessant obstruction of justice. ("Court finds Apple exec lied under oath in Epic Games trial") — www.…
@stevekovach Steve Kovach on bluesky
Judge: “This is an injunction, not a negotiation. There are no do-overs once a party willfully disregards a court order” — www.cnbc.com/2025/04/30/c...
@jason_kint Jason Kint on x
Alex Roman had a super bad day. If anyone directed him on this testimony cited by the Court, heads will roll. either way, Apple Inc also has big problems. /2 [image]
@dhh @dhh on x
Judge is also referring Apple and Finance VP Alex Roman to the US Attorney for potential criminal prosecution due to their contempt of court!! Incredible fumble by Apple. So hellbent on screwing over devs that they were willing to risk a criminal case rather than budge an inch. […
@balancecrafting @balancecrafting on x
The end of the decision frames the scope of the criminal referral as “against Apple and Alex Roman, Apple's Vice President of Finance specifically.” Although only Roman named, the next proceedings can- and should- explore criminal contempt against Tim Cook + other execs
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
Judge tells Apple to stop charging commissions on purchases made outside of the App Store (currently 27% cut) and says the company's VP of Finance Alex Roman lied under oath. She says Phil Schiller didn't want to take a % on out-of-store purchases but was overruled by CEO & CFO.
@leehepner Lee Hepner on x
Damn, I don't think I've ever seen a federal judge spit so much fire as in the first two pages of this Apple smackdown. “Cook chose poorly.” 💀 [image]
r/technology r on reddit
Court finds Apple, executive lied under oath in Epic Games trial

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