Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Apple's 'hands-off' approach with Roblox draws focus in DOJ antitrust probe - The Information

Published 06/12/2021, 22:03
Updated 06/12/2021, 22:06
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: The Apple Inc logo is shown outside the company's 2016 Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, California, U.S. June 13, 2016. REUTERS/Stephen Lam/File Photo

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: The Apple Inc logo is shown outside the company's 2016 Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, California, U.S. June 13, 2016. REUTERS/Stephen Lam/File Photo

(Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors are looking for instances in which Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) is unevenly enforcing rules for app developers such as gaming firm Roblox and some others, the Information reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is probing key revelations from the antitrust trial between Apple and Epic Games in May, according to the report, in which the "Fortnite" maker had argued that Apple had given a free pass to Roblox, whose app lets people pick from a selection of games to play.

Following this, Roblox had removed reference to the word "game" and changed it to "experiences", the Information reported.

The DOJ recently asked Roblox why it made the language change and also wants to know whether Apple's 2019 launch of its Arcade game app store made it more difficult for game developers to compete with the iPhone maker, according to the report.

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: The Apple Inc logo is shown outside the company's 2016 Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, California, U.S. June 13, 2016. REUTERS/Stephen Lam/File Photo

Apple, DOJ did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. Epic Games declined to comment.

The tech news website had reported in late October that the DOJ was accelerating its two-year-old antitrust probe on Apple in the last several months, increasing the likelihood of a lawsuit.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.