Apple and Epic Games Return to Court to Fight Over App Store Rules

[MacRumors]

The ongoing legal battle between Apple and Epic Games resumed today, with lawyers for both companies meeting in the United States Court of Appeals to attempt to get the initial ruling from last year overturned.

The Epic Games v. Apple saga started way back in 2020 when Epic Games started allowing Fortnite players to make purchases directly in the app, skirting the in-app purchase rules. Apple quickly pulled the Fortnite app from the App Store, and Epic Games was ready with an antitrust lawsuit over Apple's App Store rules.

Epic Games aimed to get the court to allow for third-party app stores and alternate methods of getting apps on iOS devices, but Epic Games largely lost the lawsuit, leading it to file an appeal. Apple won the antitrust suit, but was ordered to allow developers to add in-app links to outside websites where payments could be accepted.

Apple does not want to change its App Store rules and also appealed, leading to the court battle today. Epic Games will argue that the court made "multiple legal errors" in its initial ruling, once again arguing for sideloading to be allowed.

Apple maintains that Epic Games lost the trial because of "unprecedented" and "unfounded" accusations of anticompetitive conduct that ultimately did not sway the judge. Epic, says Apple, made far-reaching claims at the edges of antitrust law, and there is no basis for the ruling to be overturned on appeal. Apple will also argue that the original court made an error when implementing an injunction that will force App Store changes.

Apple claims that because it was not found to be engaging in anticompetitive behavior, the App Store rules are not unfair and the district court did not have the authority to mandate an injunction.

The Epic Games v. Apple appeal will kick off in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time. The appeal is being livestreamed on YouTube for those who are interested in watching.

Article Link: Apple and Epic Games Return to Court to Fight Over App Store Rules

 

[xkam1x]

Bless thy ambitions

 

[Wildkraut]

Ohh Apple, give up and make the best of the situation, save the money and invest in your development.
Even if Epic lose here, Antitrust Laws are coming all over the world incl. EU's DMA and DSA, even in the US something is cooking, and they will override all this outcome anyway.

 

[Morgenland]

From a European perspective, the whole thing is pretty boring.
Again MacRumors brings out their favorite pin up. Do you editors really like the lady's thigh that much?

 

[cocky jeremy]

Good. Bury them. I hope Apple puts them out of business.

 

[User 6502]

Apple can appeal all it likes, but sooner or later it will be forced to allow side loading, it’s just a matter of time. The direction is clear, only a fool would pretend not to see it.

 

[geartau]

App Store is fair. Don't like it? Don't build for it. It's very simple.

 

[JM]

You know who the real losers are here… all the Goat Simulator fans.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Just give it up Epic Games. If you want to play in Apple’s land. You have to abide by Apple App Store rules point, blank, period

 

[Wildkraut]

Good. Bury them. I hope Apple puts them out of business.

Well, you probably don't play games, and don't know how many of the better Apple iOS Games relies on Unreal Engine.

Soon Epic will be able to have their Game Launcher on iOS anyway, I will have no problem installing it to get the better games.

 

[geartau]

Well, you probably don't play games, and don't know how many of the better Apple iOS Games relies on Unreal Engine.

If only there were other engines that work better on mobile platforms: https://unity.com

 

[Wildkraut]

You know who the real losers are here… all the Goat Simulator fans.

View attachment 2113109

The gray one at the bottom could be Timothy Baaa after getting a heavy antitrust punch. 🤣

 

[genovelle]

Ohh Apple, give up and make the best of the situation, save the money and invest in your development.
Even if Epic lose here, Antitrust Laws are coming all over the world incl. EU's DMA and DSA, even in the US something is cooking, and they will override all this outcome anyway.

You do realize the Apple store is a gift to developers they don’t have to offer for just $100 a month and a percentage of sales if they use their platform to find customers instead of finding them elsewhere? If this model becomes unprofitable it will be canceled and a single subscription model will rise up to replace it. 3rd parties with be locked out unless they develop directly for Apple or move to a webapp and can find their own customer. The current App Store model that they used to create a developer ecosystem that is accessible to small and micro developers will die.

 

[GeneralChang]

Oh, good. More of this then.

 

[Wildkraut]

You do realize the Apple store is a gift to developers they don’t have to offer for just $100 a month and a percentage of sales if they use their platform to find customers instead of finding them elsewhere? If this model becomes unprofitable it will be canceled and a single subscription model will rise up to replace it. 3rd parties with be locked out unless they develop directly for Apple or move to a webapp and can find their own customer. The current App Store model that they used to create a developer ecosystem that is accessible to small and micro developers will die.

Your fictive scenario would never pass upcoming antitrust laws, Apple would just face plant again.

 

[now i see it]

Epic Games will argue that the court made "multiple legal errors" in its initial ruling

In other words: We’re saying that the judge was incompetent.

That ought to go over well

 

[Kwikyy]

Ohh Apple, give up and make the best of the situation, save the money and invest in your development.
Even if Epic lose here, Antitrust Laws are coming all over the world incl. EU's DMA and DSA, even in the US something is cooking, and they will override all this outcome anyway.

DMA isn't supposed to change App Store's rules. There is and will forever be an interdiction on skirting in App's purchases, whether that annoys Spotify/Epic or not. Apple will only settle those issues with small changes, such as authorizing developers to give information about payments methods with e-mail, to make it seem like they're actually doing something important. I don't see any reason for Apple to lose the trial, all of what they're saying simply being what the App Store guidelines say. Epic isn't a reader app and won't get what they ask for

 

[Wildkraut]

If only there were other engines that work better on mobile platforms: https://unity.com

Common Unity? Really?
Next();

I wrote "better" games!

 

[Kwikyy]

Apple can appeal all it likes, but sooner or later it will be forced to allow side loading, it’s just a matter of time. The direction is clear, only a fool would pretend not to see it.

With Apple, don't expect it to be the typical sideloading

 

[geartau]

Common Unity? Really?
Next();

I wrote "better" games!

Unity games have likely earned more mobile dollars and has more mobile playtime than Unreal.

 

[Wildkraut]

With Apple, don't expect it to be the typical sideloading

They will be forced to a level till it becomes competitive, simply as that.

But yes, it's up to Apple to decide if they want to risk 10% of their worldwide annual turnover, or a 20% worldwide annual turnover fine infinte loop till they obey the law, or even worse risk a full sales stop on top.

 

[genovelle]

Well, you probably don't play games, and don't know how many of the better Apple iOS Games relies on Unreal Engine.

Soon Epic will be able to have their Game Launcher on iOS anyway, I will have no problem installing it to get the better games.

If their engine is so great why is it not using their own browser based access. They would not need any of Apples APIs and should be able to find customers outside of the Apple’s platform and sign them up from their. No need for a sideload or a alternate payment mechanism. Both of these mean the customer is there because of Apple not the developer. Remember the original IPhone did not have native 3rd party access. Webapps was the intented way to do apps.

 

[GeneralChang]

You know who the real losers are here… all the Goat Simulator fans.

View attachment 2113109

Wait... was there a second Goat Simulator game??

 

[Wildkraut]

If their engine is so great why is it not using their own browser based access. They would not need any of Apples APIs and should be able to find customers outside of the Apple’s platform and sign them up from their. No need for a sideload or a alternate payment mechanism. Both of these mean the customer is there because of Apple not the developer. Remember the original IPhone did not have native 3rd party access. Webapps was the intented way to do apps.

To browser engine that is anti-competitively controlled by Apple?
Fun fact, browser engines are also part of DMA.

 

[I7guy]

Ohh Apple, give up and make the best of the situation, save the money and invest in your development.
Even if Epic lose here, Antitrust Laws are coming all over the world incl. EU's DMA and DSA, even in the US something is cooking, and they will override all this outcome anyway.

Better to be in the legal side then the illegal side.