California looks to weigh in on Apple-Epic legal battle over apps

Earlier court ruling stated that iPhone maker must limit restrictions on outside app developers

Apple is facing a number of antitrust lawsuits. Reuters

California is preparing to add its voice to the legal dispute between Apple and Epic Games over how the iPhone maker runs its App Store.

Apple is appealing a federal judge’s conclusion that the company violated California’s Unfair Competition Law by barring app developers from steering customers to payment methods outside its store.

The state attorney general’s office said in a court filing on Wednesday that it wants to take a position on how the law is interpreted, but that it would be premature to weigh in until Apple fleshes out its arguments for why the September ruling by US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers was wrong.

Apple faces a number of antitrust lawsuits in and outside the US that seek to open up the App Store to competition.

The company is contending with monopolisation enforcement investigations brought by federal and state agencies as well as legislative bids to restrict its business practices.