Apple sues EPIC, accuses developer of theft with Fortnite
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JamesSneed
I personally like the closed store at least for my iPhone. It tends to do a good job keeping the rift raft out. You certainly have much less malware coming from the Apple store. I can see why people wouldn't like it because on the PC side of things I certainly want the freedom to install whatever I want not trough some store but for my phone I just want it to work no hassles. Apple is going to win this since Epic violated the agreement they signed. It is going to be that simple.
JamesSneed
LOL What because a billion dollar company wants to make more money using Apples platform so they decide to violate the terms of the agreement? Yeah Apple is the bad guy here. Its not like Epic doesn't have a store that runs the exact same way where they take 15% off the top.
H83
Not a fan of Apple´s business model but in this case i think they are the "right" ones. It´s their store with a set book of rules that companies have to follow if they want to do business in there and Epic agreed to them, now they are trying to avoid the 30% tax because of all the cheap money Fortnite is priting them but that is no excuse...
Also, i find interesting that they are against Apple because of the 30% tax but don´t seem to bother with the same 30% console makers take...
Kool64
isn't the whole "closed ecosystem" argument why Google made Android? It's not a monopoly if you don't have to buy the product. Needless to say they have rules that 99% of the devs on the market either abide by or they don't offer the product on an Apple device. They have had the no outside sales rule for ages.
schmidtbag
I'm loving every moment of this. I'm really enjoying how much Apple is screwing over their own customers and the morale of developers on their platform so they can keep up their petty principles, and I'm getting a real kick out of how Epic's ridiculous stunt has immensely backfired.
I can't wait for both companies to take a major loss in this.
Well for one thing, you have to get EGS through Apple's app store.
To continue the analogy, think of it like setting up a coffee and donut stand in the parking lot of a grocery store without their permission, and the only way to get to it is through the main exit of the grocery store (meaning, you have to enter the store first to reach it). You're still selling food on someone else's property and using their building to your advantage, instead of just paying them the fee to stock your products.
Yes, it's a power-play. They do this the most whenever someone tries to take a slice of their market pie.
XenthorX
When you're buying on Amazon, using Paypal from an iMac you're a thief if you're not using an apple payment solution? Apple created the MacOS ecosystem afterall.
Seriously Microsoft not buying Android before Google was the biggest missed opportunity for the consumer of the 21th century, now we're stuck with two firms controlling the modern personal computer hardware, and adding paywall in front of the innovation and work of others.
Fender178
Epic did in fact did commit theft because they breached their contract with Apple bypassing the App store's payment system with their own. Even though I don't like both companies and in fact I hate Epic more than Apple because of Epic's anti-consumer tactics. Apple is in the right here because of Epic breaching contract. I hope Apple wins this because it will further expose on how terrible of a company Epic truly is. And maybe Epic can take the title that EA has been a multi time winner of "The Worst Company Ever"
I am also getting a kick out of Epic throwing stones at a glass house when in fact they are living in a glass house themselves.
Loobyluggs
Yeah, I checked just now - it is legal and is binding in the country for which the US government does not have any embargoes with, and that, you cannot agree to the terms if you are in a country that is.
It's legal. And I strongly suspect there will not be a court case, but merely a hearing of the case, in which the judge will do what I said they would, so, it might not even go to a hearing it's so clear.
*thump* next case please!
TieSKey
Omg someone with brains and "balls" (figurative) to get to the point......
Apple won the moment YOUR hard bought phones became THEIR platform.......
But hey, a big part of the reason to be of states is to protect the weak, the ignorant and the stupid (to some extent) so things like these should be regulated. Otherwise, in 10 years your "Ford" car won't start unless u use "Ford gas" and drive though "Ford roads"... u know, for security reasons.....
Edit: ok, there are other people out there with brains and balls too, I'm glad (still reading, ran out of pop corn in the middle 😛)
JamesSneed
Thats a bad analogy though. Its like Ford forcing you to use there software and navigation when you buy the car which they do. Apple doesn't prevent you from buying physical things like cases and various other products. I don't see any issue with Apples closed platform unless they become a monopoly. People can always say screw you Apple I'm getting an Android if they don't like it. To me this is like any other physical store like Walmart, Home Depot, etc where they have full control over which brands they sell and if you don't like it you shop somewhere else.
waltc3
I've never known a time when Apple, formerly Apple Computer, was not suing someone in the name of maintaining its walled garden and n00b prison. Apple is a company that believes it owns its n00bs and will fight to diminish any competition with its products. Try to, for instance, market a version of OS X that runs on all x86 boxes except Apple's and watch how fast the lawsuits fly--even if you buy all of your OS X copies from Apple legitimately before modding and reselling them. The reason Apple does this is because the company cannot compete--Apple is a terrible competitor. I applaud Sweeney for taking them on--but with Apple's latest move to yet-another-CPU-transition-to ARM I believe Apple is all but finished with its personal computer sales--Macs/Macbooks. Although Apple will likely continue selling products by those names, they will not be the same at all. Company is already 85% cell phones, anyway, and Macs are but a vestige remaining of the original company--which couldn't compete there, either. Apple is the "transition" company--always looking for new markets that are free of competition. An endless cycle for the company.
tsunami231
again epic did this to them selves by violating terms of the agreement, and cause epic is being stubborn and childish so is apple, but in the end apple would win that game apple capable doing more damage to epic over this then epic is capable doing to apple.
This whole thing is stupid. I might have iphone, but I hate apple and epic almost the same I hate ea more then 2 of them, but I LOVE how apples store is. Malware/virus are more rampant on andriod then it on ios cause of how apple store is more closed. google/android lets just about anything on to it
sykozis
You're only partly right. Anti-Trust laws don't favor Apple in this case at all. In fact, Apple is openly violating Anti-Trust laws by strictly prohibiting any type of direct competition with their own "app store". If Epic can successfully prove that point, which isn't hard if their lawyers are worth anything, Apple loses.
Apple forbids other developers or companies from distributing alternative "app stores" on iOS devices in the interest of preventing competition. Apple requires all transactions to go through their own "app store" so that they profit from every transaction. So, in theory, Epic is stealing from Apple if they implemented their own "store" in mobile Fortnite.....but only in theory. In reality, nothing is being stolen because Apple has no expressed or implied "right" to that money.
Of course, if we look at past Apple transgressions, such as them trying to claim ownership of literary works produced using Apple's word processing software.....it's quite a moral and ethical quandary... Apple is effectively trying to steal from writers but sees no issue with such move. For Apple theft is simply a matter of perspective....
vbetts
Moderator
Jesus just both Apple and Epic stop trying to show who's got the bigger peen.
Andy Watson
" With this, the company threatens the entire iOS ecosystem and its value to customers.""
I do hate it when Apple keeps talking about protecting the customers. What they are protecting, by monopolistic practices, is their greed and share price.
Venix
If ios was a town .... Then only ios existing and no other markeplace apps allowed would be like in the whole town no other store allowed to open except the megastore in the center .No? How's that not a monopoly?
Fox2232
Context. You torn it out of context with "Then only ios existing".
There are other towns than just ios in your world analogy. If you do not like living in ios town, move to andro town. Or any other.
You created correct conclusion on false premise. Then projected it into real world. But it still does not apply to real world because premise would not be true in real world.
Venix
i did a mistake i meant ios app store existing in the ios town ... obviously you do not buy an apartment in such town . Still not allowing any other marketplace to be even installed ... is monopoly even android allows you to install other marketplace apps if you wish too ... imagine if windows where locked to windows store .... witch microsoft tried but their store sucks thankfully and also people do not really trust microsoft .... but i do not like where we are heading ... when i buy a phone / computer and any electronic device i want to be able to do what ever i want with it ... not what they allow me to do with it ... there is a big difference .
Fox2232
Even if MS held total stranglehold over what gets installed on windows, it would not be monopoly for x86(_64) platform.
You have linux available in so many flavors.
Apple simply does not have monopoly on any single platform which is cellphone, tablet, notebook, ... Because you have alternatives.
gx-x
So, can Epic return all the money back to customers, and Apple returning their 30% of the take to same customers also? I mean, I am being cynical, but it seems Apple is complaining that they made 30% off of 600 million, or on top of it, doesn't matter, and complaining about making money regardless. Epic is doing the same thing. If I were Judge, I would order them both to pay all "winnings" as a penalty + lawyers and court fees. See how they like that one for a change, maybe they get serious in the future.
