![]() With the update, players were encouraged to buy virtual currency (used for items such as in-game outfits and emotes directly from Epic, rather than from within the Fortnite app. But things reached a boiling point last summer when Epic updated its hugely popular Fortnite app for iOS. It’s a case that could either transform the way many in-app purchases work, or entrench the power tech platforms have to set the rules of an increasingly digital world.Īs Silicon Valley’s expanding reach has moved Congress to propose new laws aimed at restraining the tech industry’s biggest players, the outcome of the case may even shape the broader future of tech regulation.Īpp developers and tech industry observers have complained about Apple’s policies for years. The judge’s ruling - and, of course, the appeals that will almost certainly follow - could have huge ramifications not only for Apple and its iOS ecosystem, but potentially for other app stores and the overall app economy, which has grown to hundreds of billions of dollars and supports millions of jobs. Corporate emails and presentations could fuel a fierce courtroom battle over app store policies, which are increasingly under scrutiny by regulators in Europe, lawmakers in the United States and many others. Representatives for Facebook and Microsoft are also expected to testify. ![]() The high-profile case will involve witnesses including Apple CEO Tim Cook and his top lieutenants. Tim Cook and other Apple executives will testify against Epic in Fortnite trial The potentially landmark trial stems from a lawsuit filed by the maker of the hit video game Fortnite, which Apple booted from its platform last summer for not complying with its rule. In a trial starting Monday, the judge will consider whether Apple is justified in requiring many app makers - and by extension, consumers - to use the company’s payments technology. Now, a federal judge is slated to decide: Is Apple’s policy just a hugely successful business model - or is it a violation of US antitrust law? One in particular has become a thorny issue, even if most consumers are unlikely to notice it: Any time you buy a digital product or service on many iOS apps, it is processed on an Apple-run payment system, and Apple collects a 30% fee from that. ![]() ![]() For any developers who want on to Apple’s mobile devices, though, the choice is simple - it’s the App Store or nothing.īecause it has set things up this way, Apple wields huge power over the terms it can dictate to app makers. Other platforms, such as Google’s Android, allow apps to be downloaded through third-party app stores. Ever since it was launched in 2008, the Apple App Store has been the sole gatekeeper between apps and iPhones and iPads. ![]()
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