As the U.S. government tries to put together an antitrust case against Apple for the way it controls iPhones, prosecutors are looking for instances in which the company is unevenly enforcing rules for app developers in ways that could hurt its potential rivals. One example they’re focused on is Apple’s hands-off approach with gaming firm Roblox, which compares starkly to how it deals with other gaming app developers.

1. 8/12/21, 12:04 PM
Apple’s Treatment of Roblox in Spotlight in DOJ Antitrust Probe — The Information
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Apple’s Treatment of Roblox in
Spotlight in DOJ Antitrust Probe
Dec. 6, 2021 12:20 PM PST
As the U.S. government tries to put together an antitrust case against
Apple for the way it controls iPhones, prosecutors are looking for
instances in which the company is unevenly enforcing rules for app
developers in ways that could hurt its potential rivals. One example they’re
focused on is Apple’s hands-off approach with gaming firm Roblox, which
compares starkly to how it deals with other gaming app developers.
Apple’s treatment of Roblox became an unlikely sideshow during a high-
profile antitrust trial this summer between Apple and another game
developer, Epic Games. During the trial, Epic argued that Apple had given
a free pass to Roblox, whose app lets people pick from a selection of
games to play. Apple has rejected Epic’s attempt to launch its own game
app store on Apple devices.
The Takeaway
• Epic-Apple trial fueled DOJ antitrust probe of Apple
• DOJ talking to Roblox, other game developers
• Proof of arbitrary App Store rules could help DOJ case
Josh Sisco is a reporter covering antitrust and other regulatory and legal
issues facing the tech and media industries. He is based in Oakland, Calif.
and can be found on Twitter @joshua_sisco. Contact him on Signal at
707-695-4512.