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Apple Removes Fortnite From App Store [Update: Epic Files Lawsuit Against Apple]

I don’t really get this lawsuit... Apple created the platform, Apple runs the platform... why shouldn’t they be able to set some terms for participation? Why should Apple’s App Store be some open-air marketplace where whoever can sell whatever by any means? Why does Epic have a right to that?
 
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Mal Blackadder said:
The consumer has the choice whether to buy it or not, they do not have to buy it, but if they do then Apples app stores policies means the consumer has to pay more for it than if they could pay Epic directly, the consumer loses out due to Apples policies.
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Fornite is played by kids almost exclusively. Kids don't really care how much things cost and are easily influenced by their peers.
 
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buddhistMonkey said:
Epic is going to lose their lawsuit. They blatantly violated their terms of service agreement with Apple’s App Store, and their only excuse is that they don’t like the terms they agreed to a decade ago. Epic fail.
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And I'm going to love watching it.
 
darkpaw said:
That £2.00 pays for the development and testing of Xcode, the App Store itself, and iOS. It pays for the Apple staff who write up the editorials about new games and apps. It pays for the advertising and continued investment in new features that developers can make use of.
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Sorry, if that's the case then every free app that generates revenue should be paying more than their $100 developer license. Instead Apple only takes a 30% cut from a handful of apps. How much is facebook paying for all those features? How about Netflix?
 
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asdavis10 said:
Good. Fortnite doesn't provide third parties a way to sell within its game. Why should Apple allow them free real-estate for customers that Apple worked to build?

Apple's store. Apple's rules.
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you’re delusional to think that Apple made fortnite the smash success that it is.
I would not even be surprised if fortnite was the first app many kids download on their Apple devices.

Fortnite is a success on all platforms. If anything, I wonder how popular the iPhone was among kids if it didn’t run fortnite.
 
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Here it goes. I wonder if any manufacturer can now sue Walmart or Safeway for demanding too low a wholesale price? And why isn't this the same again? Developers want free infrastructure, free access to customers, pretty much free everything. When they don't get it they sue.
 
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Epic absolutely has zero chance of winning this. They signed the development and publishing agreement, which every developer wanting to release software on the App Store needs to. This agreement clearly states that you are required to use the App store for iApp purchases.

They violated that. So their app is removed.

If they didn't want to pay the 30% to Apple, they could've chosen not to release on iOS.

Also Epic is doing the same thing with their Epic Game Store, locking developers into an exclusivity deal.
 
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Epic must be arguing anti-competitive behavior, not antitrust, because only government can bring anti-trust cases. And those take forever.

But Apple's behavior isn't really anti-competitive, because it actually makes Apple's platform less competitive than Android. So it'll be interesting how this plays out.
 
TiggrToo said:
YOU think this is bad. Most people don’t give a damn.

If you want to do all that, go Android and live with a platform that we constantly hear is subject to a plethora of bad apps.

Or, stay with Apple’s walled garden and remove worry and concern.
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Yep, thats what I’m going to do, take the free route, as a grown up, that don’t need parenting.
 
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The segment on iOS is largely irrelevant. Most play on iOS to hold them over when they can't play on console and PC, and usually don't spend much in the way of v-bucks on iOS. It's like using the patch when you can't smoke. No, I don't smoke, and no I don't play fortnite, but my kids do (not the smoking part).
 
psingh01 said:
It’s amazing how many customers here are arguing for less choices and to pay more for things. 😆
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You really think you will get more choices? If epic could they would pull the app from the App Store and tell you to download the app direct from their website, so no extra choices and no one at apple checking the app works and is secure? oh and guess what $9.99 on the App Store would still be $9.99 on their website. I can assure you epic is not doing this to give you more choice or a better deal
 
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SanderEvers said:
Epic absolutely has zero chance of winning this. They signed the development and publishing agreement, which every developer wanting to release software on the App Store needs to. This agreement clearly states that you are required to use the App store for iApp purchases.

They violated that. So their app is removed.
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They specifically petition the court to: “[award] a declaration that the contractual and policy restraints complained of herein are unlawful and unenforceable”. Violating the agreement is what gives them cause now to file for this interdict.
 
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QCassidy352 said:
I don’t really get this lawsuit... Apple created the platform, Apple runs the platform... why shouldn’t they be able to set some terms for participation? Why should Apple’s App Store be some open-air marketplace where whoever can sell whatever by any means? Why does Epic have a right to that?
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its not about forcing apple to be an open market its forcing them to not prevent anotyher store from popping up on devices that we paid for like that old addage you dont like it build your own well apple prevents you from building your own store

people that own apple products shoud be the ONLY say if they want another store on THEIR device it dosnt matter who built it the moment is sold its YOURS
 
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SanderEvers said:
Epic absolutely has zero chance of winning this. They signed the development and publishing agreement, which every developer wanting to release software on the App Store needs to. This agreement clearly states that you are required to use the App store for iApp purchases.

They violated that. So their app is removed.

If they didn't want to pay the 30% to Apple, they could've chosen not to release on iOS.

Also Epic is doing the same thing with their Epic Game Store, locking developers into an exclusivity deal.
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www.theverge.com

Amazon Prime Video now allows in-app rentals and purchases on the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV

Amazon doesn’t appear to be raising prices either.
www.theverge.com www.theverge.com

There‘s their chance. Apple bending their rules to given special treatments to apps they need (Prime on Apple TV etc) that should fall under the exact rule Apple uses to ban Fortnite.
 
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QCassidy352 said:
Why should Apple’s App Store be some open-air marketplace where whoever can sell whatever by any means? Why does Epic have a right to that?
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The problem is not that the App Store has rules and limitations on what it will stock, the problem is Apple anti-competitively forbids alternatives to the App Store.

SanderEvers said:
Epic absolutely has zero chance of winning this. They signed the development and publishing agreement, which every developer wanting to release software on the App Store needs to.
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The legal argument is not that they're sad they got banned under existing App Store guidelines. The argument is that the App Store guidelines and Apple's conduct surrounding the App Store are illegal under existing anti-trust law. That's what the courts will have to decide.
 
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So if an app store is small its not oppressing anyone by having rules for it. But if that app store is large enough to allow others to make a gigantic business from it then it becomes an oppressive behemoth? 30 percent is too high but so are all of Apples prices for anything that is even half way decent. One greedy company attacking another greedy company is nothing I should care about. Especially when Epic makes its money creating fake scarcity of digital content and scamming kids and their parents of way too much money a year simply to play a game with enough new things in it to not make it stale.
 
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Wildkraut said:
Yep, thats what I’m going to do, take the free route, as a grown up, that don’t need parenting.
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This is nothing to do with being “grown up” - it’s all to do with risk vs reward.

I used to be heavily Android. I got bored of the constant security issues and needing to buy a new phone every 2 years, either because the current one was no longer getting updates, or because it was dying on a daily basis.

4 years ago I switched to Apple. Still on the same phone. Never really worried about security either...

Thats’s what adults do. They analyze their needs (not wants) and make decisions accordingly.
 
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I purchase into Apple ecosystem to have a good experience and do not mind paying 30% extra for that. Part of the experience is consistency in purchasing (UX, approvals, policies). I have nothing against EPIC, but they and a million other publishers have not earned my trust on handling payments. I just do not want to spend time learning their policies on renewals, approvals or claims.

It is totally ok for someone else to value their money over their time. They should choose a cheaper platform. I prefer premium.

If regulations would force Apple to compromise their experience, Apple might not be worth the premium any more.
 
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