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Japan Today
4 days ago
- Business
- Japan Today
Epic Games wins partial victory in Australian court against Google and Apple
By ROD McGUIRK Epic Games, the company behind the popular online game Fortnite, won a partial victory in an Australian court in U.S. billionaire chief executive Tim Sweeney's claim that Google and Apple engaged in anti-competitive conduct in running their app stores. Federal Court Justice Jonathan Beach on Tuesday upheld key parts of Epic's claim that the tech giants breached Australian competition laws by misusing their market power against app developers and using restrictive trade practices. Google and Apple 's dominance of the app market had the effect of substantially lessening competition and breached Australian law, Beach found. But the judge rejected some of Epic's claim including that Google and Apple engaged in unconscionable conduct as defined by Australian law. Sweeney is also challenging Google and Apple dominance in the app markets through the courts in the United States and Britain. The litigation began in August 2020 when Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store expelled Fortnite because Epic installed a direct payment feature in the extraordinarily popular game. The court ruled both companies pressured app developers including Epic through contracts and technology to sell their products through the two dominant app stores. Epic posted online that the judgment was: 'Another HUGE WIN for Epic Games!' Apple said the company 'faces fierce competition in every market where we operate.' 'We welcome the Australian court's rejection of some of Epic's claims, however, we strongly disagree with the Court's ruling on others,' Apple said in a statement. Google said it would review the judgment. Google and Apple could potentially appeal the ruling before the Federal Court full bench. 'We disagree with the court's characterisation of our billing policies and practices, as well as its findings regarding some of our historical partnerships, which were all shaped in a fiercely competitive mobile landscape on behalf of users and developers,' a Google statement said. Beach has yet to release a 952-page judgment on Epic's case against Apple or his 914-page judgment on the case against Google. The judge gave an oral summary of his findings during a 90-minute hearing Tuesday. Lawyers will return to court on a date yet to be set to argue what Epic is entitled to in terms of damages. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Japan Today
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
Australian state plans to ban sale of machetes following violent gang fight
Machete are on display during an announcement at Victoria Police Headquarters in Melbourne on March 13. By ROD McGUIRK An Australian state government is banning the sale of machetes after a violent gang fight in a suburban shopping mall injured a young man. Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan announced Monday the ban on the sale of large knives would take effect Wednesday after machete-wielding gang members clashed at a Melbourne mall on Sunday afternoon. A 20-year-old man was seriously injured in the fight that involved eight combatants armed with machetes, a police statement said. Four suspects had been arrested and charged by Monday. 'I will introduce as many laws (as needed) to get these dangerous knives off the streets,' Allan told reporters. 'We will be bringing in place a ban on the sale of machetes here in Victoria and this ban will be in place from midday on Wednesday. Under consumer powers, using these powers, Victoria will be banning machetes from being sold anywhere in the state,' she added. Victoria is the only Australian state or territory that plans to ban machetes, broadly defined as a cutting edge knife with a blade exceeding 20 centimeters long. Kitchen knives are not included in the ban. Possession of a machete will be banned with few exceptions in Victoria, Australia's second-most populous state, from Sept 1. The ban on the sale of machetes was to have taken effect on that date. A three-month amnesty will give people time to dispose of their machetes at police stations and secure bins without penalty. Possession of a machete in Victoria would be punishable by up to two years in prison and a fine of more than 47,000 Australian dollars ($30,700). England and Wales banned possession of machetes and some other knives in September last year. Australia has some of the toughest gun laws in the world, and gun crimes are relatively rare. But knife crimes are becoming more common. New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, and Queensland and South Australia states ban the sale of knives to children. Machetes are currently controlled weapons that are allowed to be carried for legitimate purposes. Around 40 police officers responded to the fight between rival gangs in Melbourne. The two alleged primary offenders, boys aged 15 and 16, were arrested at the scene and charged with using a controlled weapon and other offenses. The boys were held in custody to appear in a children's court at a later date. Two men, aged 18 and 20, were arrested Monday and charged in relation to the violence. They were released on bail for a court appearance in July. All four were known gang members, police said. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
