Google Pulls Fortnite From Play Store, But Game Remains Available Through Other Android Sources [Update: Epic Games Sues Google]

What if tomorrow there is an update on your mac and the only way to install stuff is via the Apple Store and the only browser you can use is Safari and no xCloud for you yadayada...

That would end up in a class action suit and they know very well they'd lose it. iPhones were walled in from the start, and we all agreed to it - including the crybabies in Epic, Spotify etc. Macs weren't walled in and changing it would be (in broad terms) illegal.
 
At least Fortnite can still distribute their app on Android devices. It's pathetic that Apple will allow browser downloads on the Mac, but not on the iOS app store...Apple is that scared of competition.

Actually they can’t distribute it. Users have to seek it out and side load it.

Distribution denotes delivery to a locale. The user needs to pick up the product now from the vendor directly.

And it’s interesting you say Apple is scared of the competition but totally ignore Google’s position on the matter.
 
At least Fortnite can still distribute their app on Android devices. It's pathetic that Apple will allow browser downloads on the Mac, but not on the iOS app store...Apple is that scared of competition.
It's more about control... and that control keeps the platform safe. I get the argument that the consumer should be able to assume the risk but it only takes one popular bad app that was side-loaded to ruin the safe and secure reputation of the platform. People will start associating iOS with spyware and other crap, just like Android. They will absolutely overlook that a bad app was developed, or the fact that it was sideloaded. The blame will fall on iOS and Apple. Apple knows this and is willing to deal with people complaining about the walled garden vs taking it down. Can you really blame them for that?

Mac allows installing from anywhere... and it comes with risk too. But I'd argue that Phones are more personal and have more data worth protecting than the most all other devices. Personally, I'm good with my iPhone being as secure and safe as they can make it.

And what about Google? Can you out-of-the-box side-load apps on a Chrome OS machine? Or Android? Is it just a switch to assume that risk similar to Mac? I honestly don't know.
 
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That would end up in a class action suit and they know very well they'd lose it. iPhones were walled in from the start, and we all agreed to it - including the crybabies in Epic, Spotify etc. Macs weren't walled in and changing it would be (in broad terms) illegal.

Exactly. iOS was locked down from the beginning. Mac has never been even from the start. There was no Mac app store only a few years ago. EVERYONE knew what they were purchasing.



General reply- I think the bigger question is the validity of these freemium games which pray on kids. Why dont we regulate THOSE. You know kids using their parents card and/or irresponsible teens with their first card. Everyone knows these microtransaction games pray on those people. How better to pray when you dont have Apple or Google's store parental protections..... Nothing better than suckering a kid to buy a clothes skin for $7.99 or dance for $20 :rolleyes:

Yes I get freedom of contract etc; most of these "buyers" arent of legal age to agree to anything either. And the game company brainwashes them into needing these upgrades with constant nags in the game.

Maybe these sleezy microtransaction games with IAPs need the regulation discussion more so than why Apple and Google can take a cut of them. There's a reason South Park mocked microtransaction games YEARS ago.

How about sure Apple takes less but they charge for the same and NO IAPs in any of these games anymore. There are an u front fee or a TOTALLY free game with ads. That's it.
 
You can also sideload apps on iOS. This whole argument that apple's system is somehow more restrictive is absurd and untrue. Epic games is panicking because Tencent will soon be banned.
Please tell me how I can sideload apps without jail breaking. I’m dying to know.
 
Here’s the thing: Apple has spent billions upon billions of dollars developing an entire ecosystem: enticing hardware, a simple but attractive user interface, an App Store that requires all apps to be scrutinized for security issues, a payment system to reduce as much friction as possible in spending money.

Apple has not tried to please anyone and everyone - they have cultivated a very desirable demographic: primarily, one that spends more money than the average Android user. They also cater to a specific audience: better educated, better paid, conscious of social issues, concerned for security, wanting to look and feel like they own a superior device, and support a company that advocates for fixing the latest and greatest social injustice. That doesnt describe every Apple user, but Apple has nailed down the psychological aspect of their ecosystem and users.

Enter Epic - they are not bringing a utility (WeChat, bank apps, email) to this device where there is an obvious and lasting use-case. They are bringing a discretional app (game) which, let’s be honest, would not have that great an impact on people’s purchasing decisions. It’s a phone/tablet, not a dedicated video game system - if Apple or Google pulled Fortnite from their respective app stores, people would just go home and play it on their computer or videogame console.

Epic could not care less about the “underdog” or whatever other characters are being “harmed” in this arrangement. They do not care that Apple spent years cultivating the ecosystem and demographic such that people feel secure in what they download and are willing to part with their money because their iPhone gives them a warm and fuzzy feeling when a spinning arrow confirms their ApplePay purchase. That kind of conditioning and trust takes YEARS to develop and Epic feels they can waltz in and dictate what is and what is not a fair price. People don’t buy an Android because they can’t play Fortnite on iOS, but people DO buy an iPhone because of the perceived value, security, and trust that has been carefully established.

I give Epic a lot of credit for trying to compete in the digital download space on the PC, but their offerings hold little sway over Apple and give Apple zero incentive to hand over the keys to their security and walled garden. That Epic is trying to use the legal system to make more money on Fortnite shows how desperate they are and how clearly they see their demise without a Fortnite successor.
 
Please tell me how I can sideload apps without jail breaking. I’m dying to know.

by paying 99,99 dollars and using impactor, kinda cheap for Apple standards.
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Here’s the thing: Apple has spent billions upon billions of dollars developing an entire ecosystem: enticing hardware, a simple but attractive user interface, an App Store that requires all apps to be scrutinized for security issues, a payment system to reduce as much friction as possible in spending money.

Apple has not tried to please anyone and everyone - they have cultivated a very desirable demographic: primarily, one that spends more money than the average Android user. They also cater to a specific audience: better educated, better paid, conscious of social issues, concerned for security, wanting to look and feel like they own a superior device, and support a company that advocates for fixing the latest and greatest social injustice. That doesnt describe every Apple user, but Apple has nailed down the psychological aspect of their ecosystem and users.

Enter Epic - they are not bringing a utility (WeChat, bank apps, email) to this device where there is an obvious and lasting use-case. They are bringing a discretional app (game) which, let’s be honest, would not have that great an impact on people’s purchasing decisions. It’s a phone/tablet, not a dedicated video game system - if Apple or Google pulled Fortnite from their respective app stores, people would just go home and play it on their computer or videogame console.

Epic could not care less about the “underdog” or whatever other characters are being “harmed” in this arrangement. They do not care that Apple spent years cultivating the ecosystem and demographic such that people feel secure in what they download and are willing to part with their money because their iPhone gives them a warm and fuzzy feeling when a spinning arrow confirms their ApplePay purchase. That kind of conditioning and trust takes YEARS to develop and Epic feels they can waltz in and dictate what is and what is not a fair price. People don’t buy an Android because they can’t play Fortnite on iOS, but people DO buy an iPhone because of the perceived value, security, and trust that has been carefully established.

I give Epic a lot of credit for trying to compete in the digital download space on the PC, but their offerings hold little sway over Apple and give Apple zero incentive to hand over the keys to their security and walled garden. That Epic is trying to use the legal system to make more money on Fortnite shows how desperate they are and how clearly they see their demise without a Fortnite successor.

or more stupid, and retrograde.
 
Rather a silly statement.

Epic signed a legal contract with Apple that they’ve now broken.

Want to tell me what legal contracts are being broken in your rather childish scenario?
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Don’t underestimate the hate on Apple...
Just because there is a contract involved, doesn’t mean the contract is legal. Hence the lawsuit.
 
At least Fortnite can still distribute their app on Android devices. It's pathetic that Apple will allow browser downloads on the Mac, but not on the iOS app store...Apple is that scared of competition.
True but not via the google or samsung app stores. You have to find another way to get it on your android device.
 
by paying 99,99 dollars and using impactor, kinda cheap for Apple standards.
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or more stupid, and retrograde.
Please tell me a REALISTIC way I can side load apps on my iPhone. Your solution is ridiculous. I don’t have to pay $100 and jump through hoops to install apps on a Mac, windows pc, Android, kindle fire, etc.
 
by paying 99,99 dollars and using impactor, kinda cheap for Apple standards.
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or more stupid, and retrograde.
Please tell me a REALISTIC way I can side load apps on my iPhone. Your solution is ridiculous. I don’t have to pay $100 and jump through hoops to install apps on a Mac, windows pc, Android, kindle fire, etc.

Show me how to sideload fortnite then.

You can do it with a free developer account you have to just reinstall it every 7 days. Or Altstore.


Google it, dont think that is allowed to be discussed in this forum. You need the ipa file from somewhere too.
 
Please tell me a REALISTIC way I can side load apps on my iPhone. Your solution is ridiculous. I don’t have to pay $100 and jump through hoops to install apps on a Mac, windows pc, Android, kindle fire, etc.

So you think it’s not true; how innocent
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You can do it with a free developer account you have to just reinstall it every 7 days. Or Altstore.


Google it, dont think that is allowed to be discussed in this forum. You need the ipa file from somewhere too.

not possible these days with a non developer account at least with impactor, and the other alternative can fail at any moment.
 
Please tell me a REALISTIC way I can side load apps on my iPhone. Your solution is ridiculous. I don’t have to pay $100 and jump through hoops to install apps on a Mac, windows pc, Android, kindle fire, etc.
sorry dear, you can't .I'm developer and you as consumer nothing effect much. In normal busines, we do avoid crazy people asking 50% margin and left us 10% operating cost.
 
It seems when you have both Apple App Store and Google store booting the offender on the same day that something is wrong more then usual, but consider how Apple didn't want Microsoft games based in their cloud to work on Apple Arcade. There's a pattern of exclusion, yes the walling off of their eco-system from all others that could effect their total control of revenue. Perhaps its all fine, but I just can't shake off a lot of questions now of Apple and Google App Store policies. Waiting for some of the business perspectives of this instead of people just ignoring potential business risks to their favorite companies. :)
 
Don't mistake 30% as benevolence either. It is even more pure greed.
I disagree. I pay no advertising, no hosting costs, no storage costs.
30% is for the first year only, Epic is billed at 15%.

If 15% your second year is too much most apps can be mounted as a PWA. You will only incur the costs of advertising, hosting and data storage. This will not work for Epic ( without some fancy WebAssembly being written, an assumption here ) as it requires Unity - Metal interface for buttery smooth gaming.
 
Just because there is a contract involved, doesn’t mean the contract is legal. Hence the lawsuit.

Unless you can show the contract was not legal in the first place. There are no laws prohibiting 30% fees. So good luck in getting out of it.
 
Please tell me a REALISTIC way I can side load apps on my iPhone. Your solution is ridiculous. I don’t have to pay $100 and jump through hoops to install apps on a Mac, windows pc, Android, kindle fire, etc.
If easy sideloading of apps is so important to you why did you get an ios device? I chose it because it is a walled garden and the platform is safe. You had options before you bought. Why are developers trying to force a change that wasn’t there before, and one I don’t want.
 
I knew Google was going to do this. Other marketplaces with similar policies will follow suit.

If Epic were to win this against Apple it would set a precedent that would impact ALL app stores that use the same model.
 
They also cater to a specific audience: better educated, better paid, conscious of social issues, concerned for security, wanting to look and feel like they own a superior device, and support a company that advocates for fixing the latest and greatest social injustice. That doesnt describe every Apple user, but Apple has nailed down the psychological aspect of their ecosystem and users.

Edward Bernays must be smirking in hell right now.
 
So, people defending Apple...
What if tomorrow there is an update on your mac and the only way to install stuff is via the Apple Store and the only browser you can use is Safari and no xCloud for you yadayada...
Apple created the mac and macOS so that sounds OK after all ? Why wouldn't it take its 30% cut there too and add other random restrictions for your own good as it knows better ?
Thanks ****ing computing history for having invented general purpose desktop computers before mobile devices and their locked down model.
Tomorrow + 1, I would purchase a new Dell XPS 15:
Wipe it and install Ubuntu, back to work.
 
It seems when you have both Apple App Store and Google store booting the offender on the same day that something is wrong more then usual, but consider how Apple didn't want Microsoft games based in their cloud to work on Apple Arcade. There's a pattern of exclusion, yes the walling off of their eco-system from all others that could effect their total control of revenue. Perhaps its all fine, but I just can't shake off a lot of questions now of Apple and Google App Store policies. Waiting for some of the business perspectives of this instead of people just ignoring potential business risks to their favorite companies. :)
for a business perspective, Apple is dead anyway. Because they don't want to pay apple music 30% to google tax. hehe.

30% is not much but the main issue distribution for me for custom client and vendor. We prefer not apple to touch our customer business process aka B2B.

Ehm2 company try to abuse the apple enterprise license but err aaa ..

Conclusion high tax rate mean lower income for the programmer which mostly work hard and some have tragic incident because overwork. In my company , i try to balance as possible all those issue. I don't entertain crazy people asking 50% to get some contract in government .
 
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