Apple Reinstates Epic Games EU Developer Account, Paving the Way for Alternative App Store

[CarAnalogy]

Why are we calling this an alternative app store when Apple controls it? It's just another Apple App Store when Apple can ban developer accounts, institute (unreasonable) Core Tech Fees, and prevent E.U. residents from accessing it if they're away from home for too long.

Thank you. Nothing that has changed was in any way in line with the goals of the DMA.

 

[GizmoDVD]

Absolutely not.

But Apple does not own my iPhone either.

But they do own the software on your iPhone. Why can't I play The Last of Us on my Nintendo Switch?

 

[GizmoDVD]

So if Target built a store ("platform") in a part of town that was dead and turned the area into a booming shopping center, you feel Target has the right to determine if you can open a store across the street to capitalize on the shoppers coming to that part of town? And it's reasonable and fair that the business has to pay a Core Tech Fee to Target too?

What if Target doesn't like what you say about them (such as through ads), does Target have the right to revoke your business license and cancel your business lease too?

Failed analogy. They are opening the store directly inside Target and using everything Target its paying for to sell their product and paying Target $0. This is not across the street when you need Targets customers and Targets hardware and Targets software to sell your products.

 

[Analog Kid]

View attachment 2356974

"It's better to be a pirate than join the Coast Guard"...

 

[dgdosen]

Something you may have wanted, but not something consumers in general did. I didn't want it, for example. Many others didn't as well. The fact that an illegal action by Epic was aligned with some fraction of consumer interest didn't make it noble.

Gah! This is not about some thing. This is about all things. This is about control.

 

[metkis]

I’ve read the EU decision closely and according to the documents Tim Sweeney is going to personally break into your house and install an alternative App Store on your iPhone and there’s nothing you can do about it. Sad day for democracy. 😔

 

[Lethal-Bacon]

By far the funniest outcome of this whole thing would be apple deciding "the EU market isn't worth it" and then watch the politicians scramble at Apple users all over the continent scream at the EU bureaucrats for taking away their iPhones. Will never happen, but would be hilarious.

Never gonna happen.
Apple would lose like 30-50 billion per year of revenue.
Their Stock would tank.
Their shareholders and board members would panick and demand for Apple exec be fired over petty and dumb business decisions they got themselves and the company over simply because they do not like 1 or 2 specific companies that they are now forced to compete with.

The more likely scenario is that Apple continues with their malicious/illegal compliance in regards to the DMA and ends up getting 10% world wide revenue fine which amounts to ~38 billion from their 380 billion globally 😂

 

[azentropy]

When is EPIC opening up Fortnite so other companies can sell their own skins inside the app?
Isn't that what they want?

 

[Mousse]

Is there a time traveller in the forum who can tell me how this tennis match ends?🙃 I need closure, y'all.🤭

 

[Joe The Dragon]

So I can just use Targets infrastructure and millions of customer and not have to pay them a single penny? I also plan on using their water, electricity, employees as well.

so target hosts the data center for your game? if so then yes 30% of in app stuff is just fine. But when they don't host 99% of your app then 30% is an joke

 

[Analog Kid]

Gah! This is not about some thing. This is about all things. This is about control.

Yes, and Epic intentionally and subversively violating a signed contract is about chaos.

 

[redheeler]

Why can't I just walk into Target, setup a booth and sell some stuff?

The same reason Target doesn't collect 30% of every Apple Pay transaction made using an iPhone originally purchased at Target. That reason is, of course, the iOS platform is not a physical store. It's a virtual platform, the key words being "virtual" and "platform" which differ from "physical" and "store".

 

[Pezimak]

By far the funniest outcome of this whole thing would be apple deciding "the EU market isn't worth it" and then watch the politicians scramble at Apple users all over the continent scream at the EU bureaucrats for taking away their iPhones. Will never happen, but would be hilarious.

Even funnier will be watching share holders fire the Apple board and sue them over their decision as they lose billions on returns of their investments.

 

[sw1tcher]

So I can just use Targets infrastructure and millions of customer and not have to pay them a single penny? I also plan on using their water, electricity, employees as well.

Will these alternative app stores be using Apple's servers, electricity, bandwidth, etc. or are these alternative app stores run independently from Apple?

I believe it to be the latter, but correct me if I'm wrong.

If they're independent from Apple, then they're not using Apple's (Target's) infrastructure.

 

[surferfb]

Never gonna happen.
Apple would lose like 30-50 billion per year of revenue.
Their Stock would tank.
Their shareholders and board members would panick and demand for Apple exec be fired over petty and dumb business decisions they got themselves and the company over simply because they do not like 1 or 2 specific companies that they are now forced to compete with.

The more likely scenario is that Apple continues with their malicious/illegal compliance in regards to the DMA and ends up getting 10% world wide revenue fine which amounts to ~38 billion from their 380 billion globally 😂

Oh I know. As a shareholder I'd be livid, and if I worked at Apple I'm sure I'd be fired for even thinking about it. But I'm a management consultant, so my job is to come up with outside the box ideas that actually don't work in the real world 🤣

 

[GizmoDVD]

well it's not like you town is setup so that Target is the only place to buy stuff at.

You don't have to shop at Target, you can go to Wal-Mart (android).

 

[dgdosen]

Yes, and Epic intentionally and subversively violating a signed contract is about chaos

C'mon - The EU case and subsequent actions supersedes these contracts. These are shrewd opponents using every weapon at their disposal.

 

[DFZD]

Not a great time to be an Apple supporter to be honest.

 

[jole]

DMA mandates that Apple is to set up their OS in such way that it enables any willing competitor to develop and deploy their rival store FOR FREE.

Could you please refer the part of DMA that mandates "for free" part.

[I did not see anything like that in DMA. Nor I think Apple would try to setup EU alternative store rules in a way that would not be compliant with how DMA is written.]

 

[I7guy]

Well at least they are out of the US and other places.

 

[bcortens]

By far the funniest outcome of this whole thing would be apple deciding "the EU market isn't worth it" and then watch the politicians scramble at Apple users all over the continent scream at the EU bureaucrats for taking away their iPhones. Will never happen, but would be hilarious.

Yes let’s abandon a 90 billion a year market in order to save our App Store revenue, that’ll go over well with shareholders…

 

[Lethal-Bacon]

Oh I know. As a shareholder I'd be livid, and if I worked at Apple I'm sure I'd be fired for even thinking about it. But I'm a management consultant, so my job is to come up with outside the box ideas that actually don't work in the real world 🤣

Dont get me wrong, if you are a huge company its a huuuge hassle to comply with every local law of country you are operating in, but laws have to be respected.. especially in the biggest markets you operate in.
I simply dont know why Apple chose to go this route.. instead of just complying with all rules without a fight knowing damn well that 95% of their users are not tech savy and will not even download any alternative app store for such competitors to be any problem to them... its simply mind boggling the route they chose and burning their relationship with other developers who would be now even more enticed to join alternative app stores.

 

[Pezimak]

Never gonna happen.
Apple would lose like 30-50 billion per year of revenue.
Their Stock would tank.
Their shareholders and board members would panick and demand for Apple exec be fired over petty and dumb business decisions they got themselves and the company over simply because they do not like 1 or 2 specific companies that they are now forced to compete with.

The more likely scenario is that Apple continues with their malicious/illegal compliance in regards to the DMA and ends up getting 10% world wide revenue fine which amounts to ~38 billion from their 380 billion globally 😂

I can see that eventually being the outcome, the EU already has Apples idea of their compliance with the new DMA regs on its radar, and they will fine them if needed. Law of a land is law of a land, you want to profit from said land you must obey the laws, regardless if they are different to your home lands laws.

 

[BrightDarkSky]

HILARIOUS DUNK ON POOR APPLE.

So many comments trying to complain about epic, when Apple just got a nice Swift boot in the face.😁

Face it, Apple got thier asses handed to them...AGAIN. they deserve every bit of it.😂

just remember kids, apples 8 GB of magic ram is the same as 16 GB as regular ram!😂😂😂😂😂😂

 

[I7guy]

Apple today reversed a decision to shut down Epic Games' developer account in the European Union, and the account has now been reinstated. In a statement to MacRumors, Apple said that Epic Games has committed to following the rules, allowing Epic Sweden to be reaccepted into the Apple Developer Program.

When Apple terminated the Epic Games Sweden developer account earlier this week, it effectively prevented Epic Games from developing an alternative app marketplace for iPhone users in the European Union. Apple claimed that the account had been terminated because Epic Games had previously breached its contractual obligations, and that the court decision in the Epic Games v. Apple legal battle gave it the right to shut down any Epic Games account at any time.

Apple's Phil Schiller engaged in a conversation with Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney where he asked Sweeney for written assurance that Epic Games would adhere to the new rules for alternative app marketplaces, but Apple did not feel that Sweeney's response was thorough enough. Apple claimed that Epic is "verifiably untrustworthy," with the Cupertino company also citing negative comments from Tim Sweeney about Apple's Digital Marketplace Act (DMA) compliance.

There was immediate public blowback from Apple's decision to kill the account, especially because the emails from Apple made it look like the Epic Games account was terminated because of Sweeney's criticism. From Schiller's email:

The European Union quickly stepped in and asked Apple for "further explanations" on why it had shut down the EU Epic Games developer account, a move that likely led Apple to reconsider its decision. Epic Games in a statement to MacRumors said that Apple's response demonstrates that the European Commission plans to act swiftly to enforce the DMA, and that the Epic Games store is coming to Europe.

Epic Games announced plans for an alternative app marketplace shortly after Apple introduced support for alternative app stores in the iOS 17.4 beta. Epic Games has pledged to bring Fortnite and other games to the iPhone through its own dedicated storefront, but specific timing for the launch of the Epic Games Store for iOS has not yet been provided.

Though Epic Games is working on an alternative app marketplace, the company has criticized Apple's compliance with the DMA. Sweeney has called Apple's plan a "devious new instance of Malicious Compliance" and has said that Epic Games will continue to "argue to the courts and regulators that Apple is breaking the law."

Article Link: Apple Reinstates Epic Games EU Developer Account, Paving the Way for Alternative App Store

Epic has committed to following the rules. WOW, that is some about face.