Attorneys general for 34 U.S states have said that Apple Inc is stifling competition through its mobile app store as they appealed against a ruling that let the iPhone maker continue some restrictive practices.
The remark, led by state of Utah and joined by Colorado, Indiana, Texas and others, came in a lawsuit in an appeals court against app store fees and payment tools between “Fortnite” video game maker Epic Games and Apple.
The action comes after a U.S. district judge in Oakland, California, mostly ruled against Epic last year.
That decision found that commissions of 15% to 30% which Apple charges some app makers for use of an in-app payment system the company forced on them did not violate antitrust law.
Epic challenged the ruling in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. On Thursday, professors, activist groups and the states weighed in through court filings that described legal arguments in support.
Apple’s reply is expected in March.
The states said in their filing that the lower court erred by failing to adequately balance the pros and cons of Apple’s rules and also by deciding that a key antitrust law did not apply to non-negotiable contracts Apple makes developers sign.
