The judge presiding over the Epic v. Apple case has expressed concerns about Apple’s questionable practices regarding buttons and links

The ongoing court battle between Epic Games and Apple is currently in the midst of evidentiary hearings, which are expected to last for several weeks. The purpose of these hearings is to ascertain whether Apple has in fact broken the anti-steering injunction that Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers established following their highly significant trial last year.

Get ready for a deep dive into the intricate world of App Store guidelines during these hearings. Today, for instance, there is a significant amount of inquiry surrounding buttons. Apple imposes limitations on button styles for links that direct users outside of their in-app payment system.

However, Judge Rogers’ interjection does not bode well for Apple.

I fail to comprehend any logical justification for Apple’s insistence on such a requirement from rival applications. Why should it be demanded rather than suggested, based on a logical competitive rationale? … In my opinion, there seems to be no other explanation besides an attempt to suppress competition. Could you provide me with one?

It’s not really common to speculate on a judge’s ruling, especially not based on a random comment made during an evidentiary hearing, but wow.