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Apple has been under antitrust scrutiny for years, but the most recent antitrust cases focus on its App Store. Depending on the outcome of these cases, they could have a big impact for consumers.
Key Takeaways
- Apple has been facing antitrust legal cases for a number of years.
- The most recent ruling focused on practices in its App Store. A judge ruled that Apple should permit developers to advise Apple customers of other methods of payment.
- Because of this ruling, Apple customers may have more choices in how they pay for in-app purchases.
Apple’s Business Practices Under Scrutiny
This year, a federal judge rebuked Apple (AAPL) for not complying to a ruling in an antitrust case from 2020.
Previously, Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, had brought an antitrust lawsuit against the company, alleging that Apple was a monopoly because it required apps to use its payment system and pay a 30 percent fee for in-app purchases.The judge then ruled that Apple could no longer earn commissions on some app sales in its App Store.
Yet in 2025, that same judge found that Apple didn’t adhere to that ruling and discouraged alternative payment methods while continuing to collect commissions. The judge referred the case to federal prosectors.
Because of these rulings, App Store customers could be given more options for how to pay for purchases within apps.
There is also a possibility that the U.S. Department of Justice reduces the size of Apple, slashes developer fees, and brings more competition to the smartphone market. Such changes would have a big impact on the smartphone market, and additional competition would likely drive down prices, potentially lowering smartphone prices for consumers and incentivizing companies to bring new products to market.
The Bottom Line
Apple is under antitrust scrutiny for some of its business practices. If Apple loses these antitrust cases, the results may bring changes in the smartphone market, including greater competition and lower prices for consumers.
