Apple in Crisis: Shocking Courtroom Showdowns and Sales Scandals Rock the Tech World
William Ross
After a recent setback in the U.S. case regarding the sales ban of the Apple Watch, Apple Inc. faces another serious challenge. The tech giant is likely to appear in U.S. court as soon as March, amidst accusations of antitrust violations. Allegedly, Apple's restrictions on the iPhone and iPad have been unlawfully hindering competitors.
Accusations of Market Manipulation
Apple is accused of sabotaging competitors by imposing hardware and software restrictions on the iPhone and iPad. The company is also alleged to misuse its smartphone market dominance to exclude competitors from accessing iMessage. Furthermore, financial firms criticize Apple for blocking their services to maintain Apple Pay's dominance.
Subtitle: Five-Year Investigation Nears a Turning Point
The U.S. Justice Department's nearly five-year investigation into Apple may finally result in charges, sources told Bloomberg. However, the complaint has not yet been approved by the U.S. Justice Department's antitrust officials. There's a possibility that the case might be delayed beyond March, according to these sources.
Epic Games vs. Apple Saga Continues
This development comes a day after another legal battle involving Apple concluded. Epic Games, known for Fortnite, sued Apple for not informing users about alternative payment methods. Apple accused Epic of bypassing its in-app purchase system, leading to Fortnite's removal from the App Store.
In a twist, the court ruled that Apple must allow developers to include links in the App Store to make purchases on their websites. Despite a previous similar ruling, Apple had not implemented this change, waiting for the appellate decision.
Epic Games intends to challenge the new system, under which Apple could still demand a 27% fee on most digital purchases and a 12% commission on subscriptions.
Apple Watch Sales Ban
In another setback for Apple, a U.S. appeals court ruled that Apple must cease selling its two most popular Apple Watch models in the U.S. due to a patent infringement. Apple is likely to remove the health function that infringes on the patent from its watches in the U.S. market.