The Verge - Epic Games v. Apple: the fight for the future of the App Storehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52801/VER_Logomark_32x32..png2024-03-13T16:40:01-04:00http://www.theverge.com/rss/stream/221749182024-03-13T16:40:01-04:002024-03-13T16:40:01-04:00Epic asks judge to enforce the Apple App Store injunction
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<figcaption>Illustration: Alex Castro / The Verge</figcaption>
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<p id="wSKElB">Epic Games <a href="https://www.theverge.com/24049014/apple-epic-court-ruling-developer-tax">isn’t done with Apple</a>. A <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/10/22662320/epic-apple-ruling-injunction-judge-court-app-store">2021 ruling</a> forced Apple to allow developers of App Store apps to link to outside payments, and Epic has now filed a motion asking Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers to enforce her original order. </p>
<p id="cEoVOZ">Epic says <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/16/24040881/apple-outside-payments-app-store-policies-iphone-ipad">Apple’s updated developer policy</a> that still reserves 27 percent of outside payments (or 12 percent for small developers) for Apple itself is still unjustified. Epic argues these fees are “essentially the same” as those the company charges for using its payments system. </p>
<div class="c-float-left c-float-hang"><aside id="WEG2s7"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Epic preps its challenge to Apple’s ‘bad-faith’ outside payments changes","url":"https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/31/24056751/epic-notice-apple-app-store-outside-payments-link-27-percent"},{"title":"Epic Games v. Apple: the fight for the future of the App Store","url":"https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/29/22410877/epic-games-apple-app-store-antitrust-trial-lawsuit-news"}]}'></div></aside></div>
<p id="VTKEqY">Christian Owens, who founded payments processor Paddle, and Benjamin Simon, the founder behind the Down Dog fitness apps for iOS, agreed in declarations also filed by Epic. Owens called the choice offered by Apple “illusory,” while Simon...</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/13/24099734/epic-v-apple-app-store-outside-payments-motion-enforce-injunction">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/13/24099734/epic-v-apple-app-store-outside-payments-motion-enforce-injunctionWes Davis2024-03-06T11:30:00-05:002024-03-06T11:30:00-05:00Apple kills Epic’s iOS game store plans over App Store criticism
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<img alt="An illustration of Epic Games’ logo." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UVtcjg9ktM3_hLNeo1LQHGOW7aU=/0x0:2040x1360/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73186404/acastro_STK108__02.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge</figcaption>
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<p id="I3xSG4">Epic’s plans to <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/25/24050800/epic-games-store-fortnite-apple-ios-launch-eu-dma">release its own third-party app store on iOS</a> in the EU could be in trouble after Apple terminated the developer account it planned to use. In a <a href="https://www.epicgames.com/site/en-US/news/apple-terminated-epic-s-developer-account">blog post published today</a>, the company shared a letter sent by Apple’s lawyers, which called Epic “verifiably untrustworthy” and said Apple does not believe that Epic will comply with its contractual commitments under its developer agreement.</p>
<p id="uBe0y0">“Please be advised that Apple has, effective immediately, terminated the Developer Program membership of Epic Games Sweden AB,” the letter — which is dated March 2nd — states. It cites Apple’s “contractual right” to terminate its Developer Program License Agreement with the company at “Apple’s sole discretion.”</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Apple has terminated our...</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/6/24092158/epic-apple-developer-account-terminated-digital-markets-act-alternative-ios-app-store">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/6/24092158/epic-apple-developer-account-terminated-digital-markets-act-alternative-ios-app-storeJon Porter2024-01-31T10:08:31-05:002024-01-31T10:08:31-05:00Epic preps its challenge to Apple’s ‘bad-faith’ outside payments changes
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<figcaption>Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge</figcaption>
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<p id="UQewdF">Epic is not pleased with how Apple has responded to court orders. It thinks Apple’s new 27 percent tax on developers that link to non-Apple payment methods defies a court order to let developers provide those links and yesterday notified the court that it plans to lay out exactly how. </p>
<p id="24FLkT">To refresh, District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/12/22667694/epic-v-apple-trial-fortnite-judge-yvonne-gonzalez-rogers-final-ruling-injunction-breakdown">ordered Apple</a> in 2021 to let developers link to outside payment methods, and it <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/8/22717271/apple-appeals-epic-games-ruling-anti-steering">immediately appealed</a> (despite having called it a “<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/10/22667769/apple-epic-lost-lawsuit-verdict-ruling">resounding victory</a>”). Apple’s final appeal of the court order was denied <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/16/24039983/supreme-court-epic-apple-antitrust-case-rejected">earlier this month</a>, and the company was forced to change its tune on in-app payments. But it barely did so — the 27 percent commission isn’t much less than Apple’s 30 percent in-app payments fee, while...</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/31/24056751/epic-notice-apple-app-store-outside-payments-link-27-percent">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/31/24056751/epic-notice-apple-app-store-outside-payments-link-27-percentWes Davis2024-01-24T11:00:00-05:002024-01-24T11:00:00-05:00Apple thought it dealt with Epic v. Apple — has it really?
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<figcaption>Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge</figcaption>
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<p>Apple has started letting developers link to third-party payment processors, but only if it’s on Apple’s own terms.</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/24049014/apple-epic-court-ruling-developer-tax">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/24049014/apple-epic-court-ruling-developer-taxEmma Roth2024-01-16T18:48:18-05:002024-01-16T18:48:18-05:00Apple’s App Store policies now let US developers link to outside payments
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<p id="adtwzB">Apple has updated its App Store policies to spell out how developers can link to outside payment platforms, <a href="https://9to5mac.com/2024/01/16/apple-revises-us-app-store-rules-to-let-developers-link-to-outside-payment-methods-but-it-will-still-charge-a-commission/">as reported by <em>9to5Mac</em></a>. Developers will still owe Apple a cut if they use an outside payment platform. Apple will take a 27 percent cut (as opposed to the 30 percent in many cases) or 12 percent if a developer is part of the <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/11/18/21572302/apple-app-store-small-business-program-commission-cut-15-percent-reduction">App Store Small Business Program</a>, according to a support page <a href="https://developer.apple.com/support/storekit-external-entitlement-us/">about external purchase links</a>. </p>
<p id="TpLVzh"><a href="https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/#link-to-other-purchase-methods">Section 3.1.1(a)</a> of the App Store Review Guidelines lays down more of the new rules for developers who want to link to alternative payment methods, like how they have to apply for an “entitlement” to enable them. <em> </em>Developers also can’t exclusively receive payments from outside Apple’s walled garden; they’ll also have...</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/16/24040881/apple-outside-payments-app-store-policies-iphone-ipad">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/16/24040881/apple-outside-payments-app-store-policies-iphone-ipadJay Peters2024-01-16T10:25:48-05:002024-01-16T10:25:48-05:00Supreme Court rejects Epic v. Apple antitrust case
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<figcaption>Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge</figcaption>
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<p id="slLKIG">The Supreme Court has denied a request to hear an antitrust dispute between Apple and <em>Fortnite</em> publisher Epic Games. It <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/011624zor_e1pf.pdf">rejected two petitions</a>, one from each company, this morning — leaving the case largely, but not entirely, a win for Apple.</p>
<p id="ymznQg"><em>Epic v. Apple</em> began in 2020 after Epic implemented its own payment system for <em>Fortnite</em>’s<em> </em>virtual currency, bypassing Apple’s commission on in-app purchases. Apple banned Epic from its iOS App Store and Epic filed a lawsuit in response, claiming the App Store — and Apple’s overall walled-garden approach to iOS — violated US antitrust laws. <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/12/22667694/epic-v-apple-trial-fortnite-judge-yvonne-gonzalez-rogers-final-ruling-injunction-breakdown">Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers rejected</a> most of Apple’s claims and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/24/23696245/apple-appeal-epic-games-lawsuit-antitrust">largely affirmed the decision</a>.</p>
<p id="zL7VtF">Even so, both rulings found that...</p>
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<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/16/24039983/supreme-court-epic-apple-antitrust-case-rejected">Continue reading…</a>
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https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/16/24039983/supreme-court-epic-apple-antitrust-case-rejectedAdi Robertson