Epic Games VS Apple: Trial set to begin on Mon, App Store profits in focus
Apple reportedly registered profits as high as 78 per
cent from its App Store in 2018 and 2019, an expert witness for Epic Games has
testified, as the Cupertino-based tech giant and Fortnite game developer
prepare for a legal battle in the US beginning Monday.
According to The Verge, expert Ned Barnes testified that
"information from Apple's Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis group
show the App Store had a 77.8 percent operating margin in 2019, and 74.9
percent in 2018".
Apple has
contested that interpretation of the data, saying "we don't have a
separate profit and loss statement for the App Store".
"Epic's experts calculations of the operating margins for the
App Store are simply wrong and we look forward to refuting them in court,"
an Apple spokesperson
was quoted as saying in the report on Saturday.
Epic Games will defend its stance during a lawsuit hearing against
from May 3. The companies got involved in a legal battle over the use of an
in-game payment system.
While Epic Games argues about Apple's monopoly over the app market
and treats 30 per cent standard fee amount to anti-competitive behaviour that
must be regulated by antitrust law, Apple contends that "the whole
antitrust allegation and associated dust-kicking is little more than a PR
stunt".
Apple CEO Tim Cook as well as Epic Games Founder and CEO Sweeney
may testify in the trial.
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