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Apple petitions U.S. Supreme Court to strike down Epic’s only minor win
Thursday, September 28, 2023 12:30 pm

Apple on Thursday petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down an order requiring Apple allow software developers to tell customers about alternative payment methods in its App Store the only “win,” however minor, in an antitrust case brought by beleaguered Fortnite-peddler Epic Games.

Stephen Nellis for Reuters:
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The iPhone maker has been in a legal battle with Epic since 2020, when the gaming firm alleged that Apple’s practice of charging up to 30% commissions on in-app payments on iPhones and other devices violated U.S. antitrust rules. Epic lost on those claims at trial in 2021, but a U.S. District Court judge ruled that Apple’s practice of banning software developers from telling customers about alternative payment methods violated a California unfair competition law.

After the ruling, the trial court judge ordered that Apple must change those rules for all developers in its U.S. App Store. The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal upheld the orders, though they remain on hold until the Supreme Court either makes a decision or declines to hear the case.

Apple on Thursday argued the lower court orders violate the U.S. Constitution because they overstep the powers of a federal judge.

MacDailyNews Take: The lower court orders are also just plain stupid. So, there’s that.
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Hopefully, SCOTUS will [eventually] correct the 9th Circuit judge’s foolishness which is akin to a judge issuing an injunction that forces Best Buy and Target to place signs next to each product that advertise lower prices for the same items at Walmart.
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Regardless, even if the Supreme Court ultimately rules against Apple, if developers like Epic Games want to advertise lower prices using Apple’s App Store, Apple should simply begin charging an “In-Store Advertising” fee, because that’s exactly what it would be. – MacDailyNews, July 27, 2023

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https://macdailynews.com/2023/09/28/apple-petitions-u-s-supreme-court-to-strike-down-epics-only-minor-win/