The battle between Epic Games, the maker of the popular game “Fortnite,” and Apple over control of the App Store intensifies. Epic accuses Apple of deliberately hindering its attempt to launch a rival game store for iPhones and iPads in Europe.
Epic claims Apple rejected their application to launch the Epic Games Store twice, citing a seemingly trivial reason: the design of buttons and labels. According to Epic, the buttons and labels they used for functions like “Install” and “In-app purchases” followed standard conventions across app stores and iOS apps in general.
Epic views this rejection as a deliberate attempt by Apple to stifle competition. They argue that Apple’s actions violate the recently enacted Digital Markets Act (DMA) in Europe.
READ ALSO: https://thecrux.com.ng/metas-threads-reaches-175-million-users-just-before-first-anniversary/
This law aims to level the playing field for app developers by making it easier for users to choose alternative app stores. Epic has reportedly notified the European Commission, the governing body of the European Union, regarding their concerns.
This is just the latest chapter in a long-running saga between Epic and Apple. The two companies have been locked in a legal battle since 2020. Epic vehemently opposes Apple’s practice of charging a hefty 30% commission on all in-app purchases made through the App Store, claiming it’s anti-competitive and harms developers.
As of now, Apple has not publicly commented on Epic’s accusations. However, earlier this year, Apple did make changes to its App Store policies in an attempt to comply with the DMA regulations. These changes are meant to give European users more freedom in choosing app stores and managing their subscriptions.
