Apple Faces Criminal Contempt Investigation Over App Store Rules

In a significant development, a United States federal judge has found Apple in violation of a court order mandating changes to its App Store rules. The judge, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, has referred both the company and one of its executives, Alex Roman, to federal prosecutors for a potential criminal contempt investigation.

"Apple wilfully chose not to comply... with the express intent to create new anti-competitive barriers," Judge Rogers stated. She emphasized that these actions were designed to maintain a lucrative revenue stream, directly contravening the injunction issued following the antitrust lawsuit by Epic Games in 2020.

Implications for Developers and Consumers

The injunction specifically targets Apple's rules that prevent developers from directing customers to alternative payment methods outside the App Store, thereby bypassing Apple's fees. This ruling could have far-reaching implications for the digital marketplace, potentially altering how app developers and consumers interact with platform giants.