US judge denies limiting Tim Cook’s testimony in Epic Games case

San Francisco

In a latest development in the ongoing Apple-Epic Games battle, a US judge has denied request by Apple to limit the testimony from CEO Tim Cook.

Judge Thomas Hixson has ordered Apple to produce Tim Cook to testify for the Apple-Epic lawsuit over the removal of Fortnite game from App Store for allegedly violating its policies.

Epic Games, developer of popular game Fortnite which is locked in a battle with Apple, in October filed another case against the company, stressing that the iPhone maker has "has no rights to the fruits of Epic's labour".

The new court order on Cook, seen by Apple Insider, said Apple will not be able to limit Cook's testimony to four hours, as the company had sought.

"Only after Apple provides the necessary documents requested by Epic's lawyers on the App Store's operations can the length of testimony be determined," the order read.

The judge may also ask Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi to testify in case.

In the latest salvo, Epic Games said Epic did not "steal" anything that belonged to Apple.

The latest Epic move against Apple after another US judge ruled in October that Apple can keep blocking the popular game Fortnite permanently but restrained the Cupertino-based iPhone maker from retaliating against the open and real-time 3D creation platform Unreal Engine owned by Epic Games which is also the developer of Fortnite.

Judge Yvonne Gonzales Rogers also refused to grant Epic Games a preliminary injunction against Apple.

In August, Epic Games introduced a new direct-payment system in its Fortnite game to bypass Apple's 30 per cent App Store fee.

Apple then removed Fortnite from the App Store for violating its rules.