Antitrust battle over iPhone app store goes to appeals court
Apple is heading into a faceoff in federal appeals court with the company behind the popular Fortnite video game
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Apple is heading into a courtroom faceoff against the company behind the popular Fortnite video game, reviving a high-stakes antitrust battle over whether the digital fortress shielding the iPhone’s app store illegally enriches the world’s most valuable company while stifling competition.
Oral arguments Monday before three judges on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals are the latest volley in a legal battle revolving around an app store that provides a wide range of products to more than 1 billion iPhones and serves as a pillar in Apple’s $2.4 trillion empire.
It's a dispute likely to remain unresolved for a long time. After hearing Monday's arguments in San Francisco, the appeals court isn't expected to rule for another six months to a year. The issue is so important to both companies that the losing side is likely to take the fight to the U.S. Supreme Court, a process that could extend into 2024 or 2025.
The tussle dates back to August 2020 when Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, filed an antitrust lawsuit in an attempt to obliterate the walls that have given Apple exclusive control over the iPhone app store since its inception 14 years ago.
