What you need to know
- A Judge has ruled Apple must change its App Store, and can longer stop developers linking to other ways to pay for digital goods.
- However, the court ruled in favor of Apple on 9 of the cases 10 counts.
- Apple's General Counsel has hailed the ruling as a "resounding victory."
Apple General Counsel has hailed Friday's Epic Games verdict as a "resounding victory" for the company, despite a ruling that will force it to change some of its App Store guidelines regarding directing customers to other ways to pay for digital goods.
Speaking to reporters on a call Friday, Apple GC Kate Adams stated:
"We are very pleased with the Court's ruling and we consider this a huge win for Apple. This decision validates that Apple's "success is not illegal," as the judge said. As the Court found "both Apple and third-party developers like Epic Games have symbiotically benefited from the ever-increasing innovation and growth in the iOS ecosystem."
Adams continued stating that the court had confirmed that Apple "is not a monopolist in any relevant market" and that its developer agreements are legal. Adams further stated that Apple is still analyzing the 180-page decision but that the headline is "that Apple's App Store business model has been validated."
She further noted the court's recognition that "developers like Epic Games have benefited from Apple's development and cultivation of the iOS ecosystem, including its devices and underlying software" and that processes like App Review benefit the security and privacy of users. Also noted was the court's backing of Apple's decision to terminate Epic Games' developer account over the breach of contract.
Adams concluded, "in short, this is a resounding victory and underscores the merit of our business both as an economic and competitive engine."
Epic Games plans to appeal the court's decision, with CEO Tim Sweeney stating the decision was neither a win for consumers nor developers.
