Apple and Epic Games dueled on Thursday in legal filings ahead of a trial over whether to break the iPhone maker’s tight grip on the App Store. The Epic Games is the massively popular Fortnite game maker. They accused Apple of trapping people in its mobile device world and collecting “outsized commission” at the App Store. However, that should serves for the only source of digital content.
Apple countered that it has no monopoly when it comes to digital games. Furthermore, they added that Epic’s sue is part of an effort to portray “Apple as the ‘bad guy’. The sole puropose of Epic Games’ sue is to revive flagging interest in Fortnite. Apple pulled Epic Games Fortnite from its App Store in August of last year. Mainly, the reason was an update from Epic that dodges revenue sharing with the iPhone maker. The companies are now locked in a legal battle. A trial in the case is set to begin May 3 in US federal court near San Francisco.
Apple chief Tim Cook and Epic founder and top executive Tim Sweeney are among those expected to testify. “Apple constructed the iOS ecosystem, using a combination of technical and contractual means, to restrict distribution of iOS apps, foreclosing competition, harming the competitive process, and harming consumers,” Epic contended in a filing.
Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, and Apple are battling it out in court filings as an App Store trial
The iOS software runs Apple mobile devices. The App Store is home to more than 1.8 million apps worldwide. They launched the App Store in 2008. It helped them to generate billions of dollars in developers’ revenue.
People spent $70.3 billion (roughly Rs. 5,25,545 crores) at the App Store last year alone, according to market tracker Statista. Apple’s commission on App Store transactions ranges from 15 percent to 30 percent. The online shop has been part of the Silicon Valley titan’s effort to ramp up revenue from digital content and services.
Epic has called the App Store bite of transactions an “Apple Tax” and contended that the vetting of apps there is “cursory.” Apple maintains that the commission is standard for the market. They stated they warranted its security, privacy, and innovation investments.
It has argued that Epic “would like to reap the benefits of the App Store without paying anything for them.” Apple said Epic has benefitted from the iOS ecosystem with some 130 million downloads in 174 countries, which earned Epic more than half a billion dollars before changing its tune and seeking “special treatment.”
In conclusion, the dispute comes with Apple and other tech giants facing increased scrutiny for their dominance in various economic sectors, allowing them to grow even as much of the economy contracts from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
