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Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

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Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#371

Remarkable that TikTok is still available on the App Store, despite the risk it poses to national security. I guess Apple and China sleeping together is truly a case of friends with benefits. Maybe Epic Games should please Apple more often?

Epic games kind of Tencent (a Chinese company) subsidiary, it has 40% share.

There are about 5 times as many TikTok users as Fortnite players. I suppose that is a part of the calculation as well.

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#372
post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Doesn’t Epic take a cut out of every single purchase made of a game built with Unreal Engine? Seems kinda hypocritical that they’re taking this stance when their licensing model is arguably just as burdensome on developers. In my opinion, Epic should not put their app on the App Store if they don’t like the terms, just as they would tell a developer to not use their engine if they don’t like the terms.

If a developer doesn't like Unreal's terms, there are other game engines. If a developer doesn't like Apple's terms, there are no viable alternatives for iOS distribution.

In this case alternate platform is android, PC, consoles

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#373
post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Doesn’t Epic take a cut out of every single purchase made of a game built with Unreal Engine? Seems kinda hypocritical that they’re taking this stance when their licensing model is arguably just as burdensome on developers. In my opinion, Epic should not put their app on the App Store if they don’t like the terms, just as they would tell a developer to not use their engine if they don’t like the terms.

If a developer doesn't like Unreal's terms, there are other game engines. If a developer doesn't like Apple's terms, there are no viable alternatives for iOS distribution.

You are missing:

.. not covering the iOS marked is for some products not viable and might literally lead to insolvency in the long run.

Today you can tell people that you don't provide a game on e.g. X Box and they might not like but accept it. But you can not tell people that their premium mail service has no iOs app or that they team meating software has no iOs app or that their app doesn't work on iOs.

Tbh. it's probably somewhat true for tipple A massive multiplayer games and games consoles, too.

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#374
post #5

This is not surprising to me, and I have to say, I completely agree with it. Epic publicly and blatantly bypassed multiple App Store restrictions with their move today. Surely they were expecting this to happen, so what comes next? Perhaps Epic has been planning a major lawsuit and this will provide them with the reason to launch it? Edit: https://twitter.com/FortniteGame/status/1293984290326433792 They have an entir…

Except Apple also already foreseen this.

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#375

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think that matters because its clear the end consumer would benefit here if epic were allowed their own payment system.

Do you really think they wouldn’t maximize their profit anyway? Being more expensive in the appstore is just politics.

pgrote posted this tweet elsewhere in the thread [0]. They literally gave users the option for apple app store pay for $9.99 and Epic direct payment as $7.99.

[0]: https://twitter.com/ballmatthew/status/1293893660493455360

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#376
post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Game console to General computing device isn't exactly apples to apples. But yes, It'd be great if users could install unsigned apps on all the devices they own.

A game console is not general purpose computing device?

Yes it only runs games (and maybe multimedia).

Phone run everything from games over office apps to unlocking you apartment doors or handling the check-in at a hotel (yes some hotels have app based check-in).

(And in the end Apps is just a handy short form of Application, so you could say even the name kinda implicates this ;=) )

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#377
post #344

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In all the parts of the world I’ve been in, I’ve never seen a gas station without an electronic sign?

You might enjoy a trip to Aru, in eastern DR Congo. The gas pumps were run off of a gas generator!

You only have to travel to third world countries like USA.

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#378
post #351

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They also just filed a lawsuit (see https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24147486 ). The strategist in me thinks that Epic Payments is a provocation rather than a product, they've been in touch with state attorney generals about Apple's antitrust situation, and the real goal is to get that lawsuit out, bring the antitrust hammer down on Apple, and maybe get some free PR and marketing from the press cycle.

Epic is tied to Tencent. This is a risky move.

Yeah 40% ownership. I was wondering how that would suss out with the Trump admin Tencent ban that will supposedly come down in a month and a half.

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#379
post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

FWIW brick and mortar stores usually take 40%.

Doesn't seem a fair comparison given the far more substantial costs of brick and mortar. Brick and mortar retailers do not, traditionally, have very large margins when all is said and done, whereas I think the App Store has quite significant margins for Apple.

Dumb question, but why is a vendor's cost a relevant input to evaluate fairness? Isn't a common theme around here to price based on value, not on cost?

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#380

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But,it's more than that. Not only do I get some security for payment, but I get: * Some level of guarantee that every app on my phone has been vetted (it's not perfect of course, but is better than nothing). It's unlikely that anything to nefarious makes can make it onto my phone, and if it does, it'll be removed. * I get a better fit and finish. Apps on the iPhone very often have a better quality to them. * I get th…

But nobody wants to deny you the choice of paying an extra 30% to get all that. What they want is the choice.

If apps decide to avoid launching on the App Store, then I have to choose between compromising my privacy and picking a worse app.
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