Epic Games Scores Partial Win Against Apple and Google in Australia

Published on August 12, 2025

An Australian Federal Court ruled that Apple’s and Google’s app-store policies and commission-based billing systems restrict competition, a partial win for Epic Games in its long-running antitrust battle.

Details

• The court found app-store practices lacked safeguards against anti-competitive behavior, violating Australia’s Competition and Consumer Act (Section 46).
• Although the ruling stopped short of deeming conduct intentionally unlawful, it affirmed that both companies limit market competition via restrictive billing and distribution mechanisms.
• Epic hailed the decision as a victory for developers and consumers.
• Apple and Google disagreed with certain findings—particularly those about billing and partnerships—though Apple welcomed the dismissal of some claims, and Google pointed to competitive market dynamics driving their policies.

Implications

This ruling may pave the way for alternative app stores and payment methods in Australia, potentially setting legal precedents on global app-store regulation.

Sources: Reuters, The Guardian