Brazil antitrust ruling against Apple overturned by Federal Justice

Apple's antitrust case in Brazil caught a short break as a Federal Justice overturned a regulator's decision, calling it "disproportionate," but appeals are expected.

In 2022, an antitrust complaint was filed against Apple with Brazilian regulator Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Economica, or CADE. Following an investigation, a ruling surrounding Apple's payment and anti-steering practices was filed, and it echoes complaints made in the US.

Hours after Apple issued a statement on the ruling, a Federal Justice of the Federal District overturned the ruling. The news comes in a report from Valor Economico, shared by 9to5Mac.

Judge Eduardo Santos da Rocha Penteado of the 14th Federal Civil Court says the ruling from CADE is "disproportionate" and "unnecessary." While the ruling has been overturned, Apple isn't out of the weeds just yet.

The antitrust regulators will undoubtedly appeal and refile the complaint with a less strict timeline. The original ruling stated Apple had 20 days to allow external payment options and remove anti-steering practices or else face heavy fines.

The judge that overturned the ruling agrees that something needs to be done, but a lack of competition and the complexity of complying with the ruling don't necessitate such a swift timeline.

Apple has already implemented changes to the App Store payment systems and anti-steering practices in the US and EU, so it is likely to take a similar approach in Brazil. Though, of course, it won't do so without fighting through the courts first.