Apple Says 'We Won't Make an Exception' for Epic Games in App Store Dispute

[MacRumors]

The battle royale continues between Epic Games and Apple.

In a statement shared with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple said that "we won't make an exception for Epic because we don't think it's right to put their business interests ahead of the guidelines that protect our customers."

Apple said that "the problem Epic has created for itself is one that can be easily remedied" if Epic submits a version of the Fortnite app that does not offer a direct payment option for its in-game currency V-Bucks. Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store last week for offering players an alternative to its in-app purchase mechanism.

Apple's full statement:

The App Store is designed to be a safe and trusted place for users and a great business opportunity for all developers. Epic has been one of the most successful developers on the App Store, growing into a multibillion dollar business that reaches millions of iOS customers around the world. We very much want to keep the company as part of the Apple Developer Program and their apps on the Store. The problem Epic has created for itself is one that can easily be remedied if they submit an update of their app that reverts it to comply with the guidelines they agreed to and which apply to all developers. We won't make an exception for Epic because we don't think it's right to put their business interests ahead of the guidelines that protect our customers.

Read our Epic Games vs. Apple guide for an up-to-date timeline of the events surrounding Fortnite's removal from the App Store.

Article Link: Apple Says 'We Won't Make an Exception' for Epic Games in App Store Dispute

 

[auvxza]

Apple is anti consumer. They allow anticompetitive practices by letting Amazon to use their own payment processing but do not allow Epic to do so. This just means that customers have to pay higher prices for apps and developers have less resources to create better experiences.

Apple is anti developer. Disabling Epics access to Apple Dev Kit will hurt all developers making games and other apps on Apple products. The majority of top triple A games on the App Store use Unreal Engine. I am a game developer and personally use Unreal Engine on my Mac (maybe only for another 10 days if Apple succeeds in banning Epic).

Another anti competitive practice Apple does is not allowing cloud streaming games with xCloud / Stadia but lets Netflix stream movies. Apple is stifling innovation in order to squeeze as much money from customers as possible.

This is not the Apple that I fell in love with. Epic is right, Apple has become rotten.

 

[EvilEvil]

Apple should decrease their app revenue cut from 30% to 15% to show how much they care about their developers.

 

[mattopotamus]

I understand where both sides are coming from, but Epic is going to lose this. They don't have leg to stand on in the court of law. They knowingly violated the terms of their contract to prove a point?

 

[Marbles1]

I get the logic, and that Apple can’t review every single app’s payment system so it is indeed safer from their pov for everyone to use apple’s... but.... I don’t believe it for a second.

There’s no ‘safety’ reason why bigger companies wouldn’t be sufficiently secure. They could even hire the same vetting teams that Apple does to prove this.

So of course it’s about protecting an income stream and nothing to do with consumer safety.

 

[fumi2014]

For all the endless clickbait articles on this on the net, it really boils down to one thing.

Apple: "We're not making enough money."

Epic: "We're not making enough money."

Don't get caught up in all the phony talk of ethics, fairness, anti-competitive practices. It's just a case of two extremely wealthy tech companies whining about not making enough money.

In other news: Millions of Americans without jobs. Pandemic raging.

 

[4492865]

I understand where both sides are coming from, but Epic is going to lose this. They don't have leg to stand on in the court of law. They knowingly violated the terms of their contract to prove a point?

A contract that Apple can, and often does, unilaterally adjust and modify as they see fit. That's not a contract. It's coercion — because developers cannot pull out anymore once investments have been made into an iOS App.

Apple has turned hostile towards developers and as a result, hostile towards consumers. I want choice. I want freedom. I want to decide what I can put on my phone. Not Apple.

 

[itsmilo]

Apples hypocrisy is the most annoying part about the whole company. I still like their products itself but their whole marketing BS about "WE CARE ABOUT YOU AND NOT THE MONEY" is just off putting.

we don't think it's right to put their business interests ahead of the guidelines that protect our customers.

sit down Apple. Lets see ... 5 GB base storage that does not even fit a back up in most cases and leads to corrupt back ups is totally to protect the customer! Same with offering 64 GB as the base model (totally not done for upselling purposes) or the iCloud storage jump from 200 GB to 2 TB or everything being glued together in the MacBook. So environmental!

If anything, Apple is protecting their business interests since services make up a HUGE part of their sales now

 

[Scottsoapbox]

Games revenue is more than all of Apple's other services revenue combined. Of course they don't want to lose any of it.

 

[ruka.snow]

Apple need to stand their ground on this and keep the AppStore a level playing ground for everyone.

 

[UnbreakableAlex]

Apple needs to cut down their fees to about 5-15%.
30% is beyond all reason. It's especially bad for small devs and companies.

 

[nbaker756]

Silly question. Has Epic stated what they feel is fair besides independent app stores? From what I understand Apple only charges a $99 fee for being a developer. Does this fre fairly compensate Apple for the time they spend developing the OS, APIs, etc? Maybe they should increase the fee based on developer size but then that could hurt indie developers? To me that fee is nothing compared to the amount of research and development app does for iOS on a year basis. Maybe 30% is too high but Epic also should be allowed to use the time and money Apple spends building the OS for nothing either.

 

[damienbutt]

I'm actually completely with Epic on this matter. At least with Android people can install apps from outside the Play Store to avoid these charges. Apple doesn’t need to take any cut in my opinion. It’s pure greed. They don't need that money. They should be supporting their developer community by allowing them to keep 100% of their money. As a consumer and developer I’m a big believer in supporting developers. If I am buying or subscribing to an app for my Mac I will always first check if it’s available direct from the developer website rather than the app store as I want to support them financially for their hard work. I don’t see why Apple should get any of that money.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

I think both of these companies are in the wrong. Epic shouldn’t be taking this approach, but Apple shouldn’t be claiming they “treat all developers equally” while giving preferential treatment to Amazon.

Make the criteria for a lower Apple tax transparent or stop lying and saying all developers get the same treatment.

 

[ruka.snow]

Apple needs to cut down their fees to about 5-15%.
30% is beyond all reason. It's especially bad for small devs and companies.

Tens of thousands of developers have made successful businesses on the AppStore, Google Play, and Steam. 30% is significantly cheeper than going it alone, just hosting costs alone makes selling a app far more expensive outside of these stores. Selling an app is not just about card processing fees and dealing with chargebacks.

 

[Appleman3546]

Apple’s response is as though it is unaware of any lawsuit by Epic. The very presence of a lawsuit makes this factually distinct from a mere developer violation of Apple’s rules. Ultimately, it is out of Apple’s hands because a Court will determine the anti-trust issue

 

[ohmydays]

For all the endless clickbait articles on this on the net, it really boils down to one thing.

Apple: "We're not making enough money."

Epic: "We're not making enough money."

Don't get caught up in all the phony talk of ethics, fairness, anti-competitive practices. It's just a case of two extremely wealthy tech companies whining about not making enough money.

In other news: Millions of Americans without jobs. Pandemic raging.

Thank you! 👏

 

[amarcus]

Apple has turned hostile towards developers and as a result, hostile towards consumers. I want choice. I want freedom.

Really? Apple's 30% cut has been constant since the App Store launched over ten years ago *and* they seem to be loosing their grip (iOS now allows default mail/browsers, widgets, multi-tasking etc.).

From my perspective, Epic are the ones playing dirty turning this into a publicity stunt and throwing a tantrum because they want to pay less. If this was just about freedom and offering prohibited apps (e.g. xCloud) then they wouldn't also be suing Google where this isn't an issue.

TL;DR Epic are a billion dollar company and are fighting to line their pockets and not for "freedom" or for us.

 

[2979382]

Epic Games should be happy Apple is not introducing a tiered system like taxes are - the more you make, the higher the tax. Epic would probably end up paying 40 - 45%.

 

[mdridwan47]

And why would they? No one is stopping them form doing these unethical, anti-consumer, monopolistic practices. So, why not? Go Apple. Get even more drunk with power.

 

[ohmydays]

A contract that Apple can, and often does, unilaterally adjust and modify as they see fit. That's not a contract. It's coercion — because developers cannot pull out anymore once investments have been made into an iOS App.

Apple has turned hostile towards developers and as a result, hostile towards consumers. I want choice. I want freedom. I want to decide what I can put on my phone. Not Apple.

Get an Android phone if you want to side load apps and want more freedom and don’t want Apple controlling what you put on it. There is a reason they’re different.

 

[itsmilo]

Apple should decrease their app revenue cut from 30% to 15% to show how much they care about their developers.

If they cared, they would allow developers to add other payment options BESIDES apple payment (not replacing it). Let the customer choose if they want the convenience and safety or the trouble to go through entering the payment info all the time individually but I am guessing Apple knows damn well that people would choose the last option if companies would make their own cheaper. Same reason Apple does not allow Apps to have any traces or links to even inform about other types of payment (via website etc.). "Apple is just protecting their business model" yet they act like they do it all in the name of the customer. Hypocrisy at its finest.

 

[chrono1081]

There’s no ‘safety’ reason why bigger companies wouldn’t be sufficiently secure.

There absolutely is. Look how many companies have been hacked. Apple, even if it's not their payment system, would be on the hook for it if it happened through their payment portal.

 

[PlainviewX]

Silly question. Has Epic stated what they feel is fair besides independent app stores? From what I understand Apple only charges a $99 fee for being a developer. Does this fre fairly compensate Apple for the time they spend developing the OS, APIs, etc? Maybe they should increase the fee based on developer size but then that could hurt indie developers? To me that fee is nothing compared to the amount of research and development app does for iOS on a year basis. Maybe 30% is too high but Epic also should be allowed to use the time and money Apple spends building the OS for nothing either.

Apple recoups R&D and development with hardware sales and fees for app store transactions.

 

[mdridwan47]

There absolutely is. Look how many companies have been hacked. Apple, even if it's not their payment system, would be on the hook for it if it happened through their payment portal.

There should be a choice given to consumers to sideload apps.