Epic Games v. Apple ruling: iPhone-maker wins the antitrust lawsuit, but it must allow use of alternative in-app payment methods
- Leanzazzy
- IWT
- 19 Dec 2023
Damn, this judge really is based. "Success is not illegal." I like her already.
I can't believe Epic got 12 MILLION dollars in 2 months from IAPs from Fortnite alone. How pathetic are people that they're willing to spend so much on pixels?
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- Anonymous
- wra
- 06 Dec 2021
Go epic go fortnite
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- Anonymous
- dZy
- 15 Sep 2021
I'm just sickened by how much of a blind eye Apple fans turn towards all of the predatory business moves that apple does.
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- DaFink
- nGv
- 14 Sep 2021
Anonymous, 14 Sep 2021You don't need to have control over the entire industr... moreThat’s a poor analogy and in no way comparable, but I give up. It was just ruled in court at the cost of millions of dollars to not be a monopoly, but what do I or they know, eh. Bunch of random anons who post on GsmArena have it right……..
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- Anonymous
- 70d
- 14 Sep 2021
DaFink, 14 Sep 2021I appreciate what you are saying. Though I still think a co... moreYou don't need to have control over the entire industry to have monopoly. For example, let's say that the city you live in has only one ISP, that ISP has monopoly. I wonder where you get this wrong idea from.
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- DaFink
- nGv
- 14 Sep 2021
Kangal, 14 Sep 2021You're not exactly right.
A company/developer could b... moreI appreciate what you are saying. Though I still think a company may claim to feel coerced, but ultimately it is still a free decision that is made. The legality of the T&C’s is another matter and Apple’s have just had there own heavily scrutinised.
In terms of fairness, despite all the complexities and nuances that get heaped onto matters like this. I think in this case it ultimately boils down the old ‘my house, my rules’ argument.
Remember iOS isn’t Android. Apple made very clear from the outset that this was a closed source environment, subject to strict rules of use, governed by on entity, Apple themselves.
Epic have in part relied on Apple’s infrastructure to help bring them to the levels of success they now enjoy. Now they appear to want a free ride the rest of the way.
Like I said earlier, had Epic decided to take this stance at the start, then maybe I could understand their position a tad more. That they have chosen to do so years, and how many millions in revenue later totally undermines the whole thing.
On the use the word monopoly regarding this matter, I’m sorry but again, it does not apply. In order to be monopolistic, the App Store would need to represent the entire industry in which its categorised. And as any Android fan on here will enthusiastically tell you, it doesn’t.
The App Store simply is the sole means of app distribution on one platform in its industry.
- Kangal
- D$j
- 14 Sep 2021
DaFink, 14 Sep 2021That may be the case sure, but a company like Epic wouldn’t... moreYou're not exactly right.
A company/developer could be coerced to follow an immoral/unethical (or even illegal) Terms and Conditions. The way the world works now, is that people are forced to break the rules to get what seems fair. As they say, better to ask for forgiveness than permission.
Well, it looks like Epic lost the battle, but won the war.
Sort of. Firstly, they have to pay a (small) fine for their breaking of T&C. Secondly, Fortnite will never come back on an iPod, iPhone, iPad, or iMac again. And any new game that Epic makes in the future will also be banned. So a huge revenue and profit stream for Epic has now been permanently closed. They lost.
....BUT !
Now other developers reap the benefits. Apple has lost a HUGE profit stream. Hence, Epic won what they set out to do. We can now have other services like Netflix working on iPhones. People can sign-up, or make payments for the service... using their own choice of payment method. Apple no longer gets an automatic 30% cut for doing next to nothing. This in turn, helps big developers (probably less so middle and small devs) improve their profit margins. Which might (unlikely) lead to less fees for consumers. But it does bring a bit of fairness to the iOS monopoly.
As an analogy, think of a medieval siege. One powerful army (Apple) is fighting against thousands of soldiers (developers). Epic was one of the strongest soldiers, and they managed to break the castle's door. However, Apple in turn fatally wounded Epic. Whilst Epic now bares the great sacrifice, it now allows the other soldiers/developers, to enter the castle through the door.
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- Ronjot
- KiK
- 14 Sep 2021
Monkey D. Dragon, 13 Sep 2021I don't get wahts wrong with receiving 70Percent of th... moreWrong its not 70% profit. its 70% revenue
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- DaFink
- StU
- 14 Sep 2021
Anonymous, 13 Sep 2021Most terms and conditions are predatory anyway. And they ca... moreThat may be the case sure, but a company like Epic wouldn’t enter into such an agreement without careful, stringent consideration of those T&C’s beforehand. This they did and then proceeded to reap the benefits (including increasing revenue) as the app store continued its year on year growth.
Then Epic decided they suddenly didn’t like those T&C’s anymore. Let’s not kid ourselves, the same T&C’s they would insist upon if they were in Apple’s position.
I’m sorry, in this situation there are no good guys, but Epic’s stance is transparently BS!
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- cyber
- S2D
- 13 Sep 2021
epic want to ride the horse for free,apple may not allow the return of that game either
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- Mikele
- fsV
- 13 Sep 2021
Anonymous, 11 Sep 2021This is why Facebook and Google pay tons of fines in EU, bu... moreAbsolute truth
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- DaFink
- nGv
- 13 Sep 2021
Anonymous, 13 Sep 2021You're a lost cause. You don't understand the mea... moreEvidently the lost cause would be you. See Epic’s legal team also tried this rather clumsy argument. Trying to twist the meaning of a word to make it fit a situation it obviously does not apply to.
And guess what, just like you, they lost!
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- Anonymous
- 70d
- 13 Sep 2021
DaFink, 12 Sep 2021You are unbelievable. Is the App Store a developers onl... moreYou're a lost cause. You don't understand the meaning of this word.
- J
- JaiHind69420
- vxw
- 13 Sep 2021
Anonymous, 12 Sep 2021Did you read the conversation? It's about monopoly. If... moreWe guess it's you who doesn't know what he's talking about.
- J
- JaiHind69420
- vxw
- 13 Sep 2021
Anonymous, 12 Sep 2021LOL. How is this winning ? Dude...
"The Judge also ordered Epic Games to pay Apple 30% of the $12,167,719 in revenue it collected through the direct payment system it introduced on Fortnite for iOS between August 2020 and October 2020, and 30% of any revenue it collected from November 1, 2020 through the date of judgment. Besides, Judge Rogers ruled that Apple's termination of DPLA with Epic Games was "valid, lawful, and enforceable." That means it's up to Apple to decide whether or not to reinstate Epic Games' developer account on the App Store."
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- Anonymous
- 70d
- 13 Sep 2021
Alex, 12 Sep 2021Yeah, that would be too much. But which revenue does it inc... moreIt only applies to the iOS version. It's "30% of any such revenue," not "30% of any revenue." GSMArena omitted the word "such."
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- Anonymous
- wv@
- 13 Sep 2021
DaFink, 12 Sep 2021How the heck is it besides the point??? Epic entered in... moreMost terms and conditions are predatory anyway. And they can be thrown out in court. Just because a company can coerce you, mostly due to the lack of alternatives to use their services and agree to the terms doesn't mean they can do whatever they want.
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- Alex
- ASJ
- 12 Sep 2021
Anonymous, 12 Sep 2021LOL. How can it include PC revenue? The judge will be sued ... moreYeah, that would be too much. But which revenue does it include then, when Fortnite is unplayable on iOS?
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- Anonymous
- nsG
- 12 Sep 2021
LOL. How is this winning ?