May 25, 2021
U.S. Federal Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers held unconventional closing arguments Monday in the antitrust trial between Epic Games and Apple Inc, peppering both sides’ attorneys for three hours about how far she could — and should — go to change Apple’s App Store business.
App-makers and regulators around the world are watching the trial and Gonzalez Rogers has hinted in sharp questions to Apple that she may be receptive to some of the Fortnite game creators’ allegations that Apple misuses its control over the App Store and hurts developers.
Last week the federal judge said that Apple’s App Store profits from game-makers looked “disproportionate”, but on Monday she questioned Epic on whether there was a way to address its concerns without forcing Apple to open the iPhone to rival app stores, as Epic has proposed.