This article has been indexed from MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors – Front Page
In the ongoing legal battle between Apple and Epic Games, the two companies are this week calling up their expert witnesses to argue their points before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who will make a decision in the case after a three week trial.
Expert testimony is not as exciting as some of the leaked App Store documents that were highlighted last week, especially as much of what’s being discussed was shared by Epic and Apple ahead of the trial. When speaking to expert witnesses, however, Gonzalez Rogers hinted that she might aim for a compromise between Epic and Apple to solve the dispute.
As outlined by Bloomberg, there was a discussion about Apple’s rules that prevent app developers from directing users to make purchases outside of the App Store, such as through the web, as an alternative to in-app purchases.
Speaking to Epic expert witness Dr. David Evans, an economist specializing in antitrust, Gonzalez Rogers asked him if whether removing this rule would solve the problems that Epic and other developers have with App Store rules. “If Apple didn’t have these rules, would the problem be solved?” she asked.
Evans said that while it “wouldn’t eliminate the market power that Apple has,” it would “certainly diminish it.” Though for apps and games without alternative payment systems, he said it “would not be much of a solution.”
Apple has long prevented apps from directing users to outside purchase options. The Netflix app, for example, does not use in-app purchases but is not able to direct users to sign up for a subscription through the iPhone or Judge in Epic vs. Apple Case Floats Potential Compromise