Apple’s app store dealt blow by judge in Epic antitrust case

Apple Inc. was ordered by a court to allow developers to steer consumers to outside payment methods for mobile apps, in a ruling that’s a severe blow to the iPhone maker.

A federal judge granted an injunction sought by Epic Games Inc. Friday while also ordering the game maker to pay at least $4 million in damages to Apple for breach of contract. The order could take a big bite out of the profitability of the App Store: according to analysts the App Store takes in more than $20 billion a year with a profit margin above 75%.

U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers concluded that Apple has engaged in anticompetitive conduct that harms consumers by preventing them from getting cheaper prices, but she didn’t go as far as Epic sought.