Judge loosens Apple’s grip on app store in Epic decision

By MICHAEL LIEDTKE
AP Technology Reporter

SAN RAMON, Calif. (AP) — A federal judge ordered Apple to dismantle part of the competitive barricade guarding its closely run app store, threatening one of the iPhone maker’s biggest moneymakers. It could also potentially save app developers billions of dollars that could encourage them to lower prices paid by consumers. But the ruling also upheld Apple’s right to block other stores from offering apps for its iPhone, and sided with Apple on every other key point of the case. In particular, the judge did not find that the company is operating an illegal monopoly as the plaintiff, Fortnite maker Epic Games, had charged.