April 30 (Reuters) - Apple ( AAPL ) violated a U.S.

court order that required the iPhone maker to allow greater

competition for app downloads and payment methods in its

lucrative App Store and will be referred to federal prosecutors,

a federal judge in California ruled on Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland said

in an 80-page ruling that Apple ( AAPL ) failed to comply with her prior

injunction order, which was imposed in an antitrust lawsuit

brought by "Fortnite" maker Epic Games.

"Apple's ( AAPL ) continued attempts to interfere with competition

will not be tolerated," Gonzalez Rogers said. She added: "This

is an injunction, not a negotiation. There are no do-overs once

a party willfully disregards a court order."

Gonzalez Rogers said she will refer Apple ( AAPL ) to federal

prosecutors for a criminal contempt investigation into its

conduct in the case.

Neither Apple ( AAPL ) nor Epic immediately responded to a request

for comment.

Epic accused Apple ( AAPL ) of stifling competition for app downloads

and overcharging commissions for in-app purchases.

Gonzalez Rogers in 2021 found Apple ( AAPL ) violated a California

competition law and ordered the company to allow developers more

freedom to direct app users to other payment options.

Apple ( AAPL ) failed last year to persuade the U.S. Supreme Court to

strike down the injunction.

Epic Games told the court in March 2024 that Apple ( AAPL ) was

"blatantly" violating the court's order, including by imposing a

new 27% fee on app developers when Apple ( AAPL ) customers complete an

app purchase outside the App Store. Apple ( AAPL ) charges developers a

30% commission fee for purchases within the App Store.

Apple ( AAPL ) also began displaying messages warning customers of

the potential danger of external links in order to deter

non-Apple ( AAPL ) payments, Epic Games alleged, calling Apple's ( AAPL ) new

system "commercially unusable."

Apple ( AAPL ) has denied any wrongdoing. The company in a court

filing on March 7 told Gonzalez Rogers that it undertook

"extensive efforts" to comply with the injunction "while

preserving the fundamental features of Apple's ( AAPL ) business model

and safeguarding consumers."

Gonzalez Rogers suggested at an earlier hearing that changes

made by Apple ( AAPL ) to its App Store had no purpose "other than to

stifle competition."