Epic vs. Apple: Executives to Testify in Ongoing Antitrust Battle

California federal court will hear testimony from two senior Apple executives and three other key employees next week, as a judge resumes a hearing on whether the tech giant violated an order designed to increase competition in its App Store, according to Reuters.

The case stems from a 2020 antitrust lawsuit filed by “Fortnite” creator Epic Games, which accused Apple of maintaining an unfair monopoly over its App Store. In 2021, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple must allow app developers to guide users toward alternative payment options outside of Apple’s ecosystem. However, Epic has since alleged that Apple failed to comply with this order by imposing burdensome commissions on certain transactions, per Reuters.

Judge Rogers is currently considering Epic’s motion to enforce her previous ruling and potentially hold Apple in contempt. Apple has denied any wrongdoing.

Apple attempted to prevent some of its employees from being called as witnesses, but in an order issued Tuesday, Rogers dismissed those objections, clearing the way for additional testimony. Among those expected to take the stand are Phil Schiller and Carson Oliver, two high-ranking Apple executives, as well as Marni Goldberg, Apple’s director of corporate communications, Reuters reported.

Related: Epic and Google Clash Over App Store Monopoly Claims in Ongoing Legal Battle

The hearing, set to begin on February 24 and last three days, is a continuation of proceedings that began nearly a year ago regarding Apple’s compliance with the App Store-related injunction. Rogers had paused the case to allow Epic time to obtain and examine extensive documentation from Apple about its commission structure and compliance efforts.

Apple has maintained that further testimony from employees who were not present at last year’s proceedings is unnecessary, but Epic countered that it should be permitted to question key figures involved in implementing the court’s order. In Tuesday’s ruling, Rogers emphasized that it was “entirely untenable that Apple would not expect Epic to call additional witnesses.”

Source: Reuters