Epic Games, Inc v Apple Inc

Epic Games Inc. sued Apple Inc. over Apple's practices in operating the App Store for iOS devices, which Epic claims restrict competition. The Federal Court of Australia heard the case. The central legal issues involved whether Apple abused its market power by imposing restrictive conditions on app developers and whether these practices substantially lessened competition. Specifically, the court needed to determine if Apple's practices amounted to misuse of market power, restrictive conduct, and contraventions of competition and consumer laws.

The court examined the market definitions, Apple's market power, and the impact of its practices on competition. It found that Apple's control over the App Store and its policies created barriers for developers, limiting their ability to offer alternative payment methods and thus restricting competition. The court concluded that Apple's practices contravened sections 45 and 46 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010, as they were likely to substantially lessen competition in the distribution services market and the market for payment services. Additionally, the court found that Apple's conduct could be considered unconscionable under the Australian Consumer Law.

Based on these findings, the court ordered the further hearing of the proceeding to be stood over to a later date, with specific restrictions on the disclosure and publication of the judgment's content. The court reserved its decision on costs and allowed for applications to be made regarding the case.