A blow to Apples app store payment model
- Apple must allow external payment links
- conduct in enforcing anti-steering restrictions is anti-competitive
- judge does not find that Apple is an antitrust monopolist in the submarket for mobile gaming transactions
- Apple cannot prevent developers from using external links
The price of Apple shares are down around 1.8% on the news.
The action - if it is to go in effect (there will likely be appeals) - would give companies a new way to avoid the commissions at Apple charges which can be as high as 30% in its App Store.
The judge's order is supposed to take place in 90 days. However Apple will likely appeal before then.
The major indices are trading lower with the NASDAQ index now down around 14 points or -0.09% at 15234. The Dow is down -110 points at 34765. The S&P index is down -9.23 points or -0.20% at 4484.07
