Earlier quoted context omitted.
That makes no sense whatsoever. Why are you giving advice for users in a thread about developers rights? 90% of the youth market uses an iPhone and that's the same market Epic is in. Outside of youths, 50% of the US population uses an iPhone.
Can you provide some sources for the numbers?
Apple ordered to not block Epic’s Unreal Engine, Fortnite to stay off App Store
221–230 of 639 posts
Re: Apple ordered to not block Epic’s Unreal Engine, Fortnite to stay off App Store
#222Could someone explain what was Apple trying to do? I really don't get their position in this story. It seemed obvious that trying to completely block Epic's Unreal Engine would be causing more legal issues. What is their strategy here? It feels that they actually wanted things to escalate, though I cannot see why they would do this.
Apple threatened to revoke Epic’s “Apple Developer” account due to repeated violations of the developer policy and agreement. I am sure Apple did it to try and bully Epic into settling.
"Play by the rules or don't play"
Re: Apple ordered to not block Epic’s Unreal Engine, Fortnite to stay off App Store
#223Earlier quoted context omitted.
Ok, but do we agree that Epic getting what they want would result in a more open platform than what we currently have? Because the alternative to what Epic want (so the current situation) isn't a completely open platform but one where Apple is the only boss and can do almost whatever they want. Having more bosses in competition for parts of the market is an improvement toward a more open system.
We've seen on Android that the practical effects of competing app stores are basically zero. There's too much advantage to controlling the OS and being the default. Epic getting a store on iOS is likely to be a moral victory at best. The effective solution is stopping dominance in one area from spilling over into another. Can't use iOS control to gain control of app sales and you can't use control of app sales to gai…
That's not really a good example, Google has been doing a lot of similar things to hamstring anyone who tries to run a competing store.
Re: Apple ordered to not block Epic’s Unreal Engine, Fortnite to stay off App Store
#224Earlier quoted context omitted.
Blocking Epic from developing Unreal Engine is a threat to anyone using it.
Come on. “We’ll remove your license if you keep misbehaving” is in no way similar to “we’ll go after your users and remove their license”. It’s a threat in the long term, if Epic and Apple cannot negotiate something satisfying (which they will eventually, there’s just too much to lose for both of them), but let’s keep some perspective.
It's a chain of events. If Epic can't develop on iOS or MacOS, they can't continue to work on Unreal, which makes it effectively an abandoned product for others. Yes, they can still use it, but it would be basically EOL. That was the point in threatening to revoke Epic's license to develop on the platform, and the danger in the increasing monoculture inside Apple. You can only use these specific ordained tools, and they control access to the tools.
Re: Apple ordered to not block Epic’s Unreal Engine, Fortnite to stay off App Store
#225I'm always frustrated by journalists who never mention the case number (why not?), let alone link to a copy of the actual ruling.
Here's a PDF of the ruling, I think it's worth reading: https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/21814075/c...
Re: Apple ordered to not block Epic’s Unreal Engine, Fortnite to stay off App Store
#226Earlier quoted context omitted.
AFAIK they did not threaten to remove licenses for companies using the Unreal Engine. Just Epic’s.
Yes but Epic still needs those licenses to support those companies and continue to develop the engine. Regardless of the other matter going on, it looks punitive to me. I think when we look back on this event in 5-10 years' time, we'll see this as a serious misstep by Apple.
Yes, I agree with the first half of what you said, which is not was the OP said.
As for the rest, I have seen far too many “this time, Apple is doomed for real” events to agree with your last sentence. Apple could stop selling any device today and still be around in 10 years.
Re: Apple ordered to not block Epic’s Unreal Engine, Fortnite to stay off App Store
#227Earlier quoted context omitted.
Nobody is forcing you to use an iPhone either. There are plenty of options with different trade offs. Allowing 3rd-party app stores has predictable negative externalities (privacy, security, etc.). Which is why I and others are not interested in that development. Apple is able to make developers engage in less shitty business practices precisely because they can control the distribution of software through the App St…
> I guess this is the .1%? No. > You don’t buy something expecting it to do something completely different. You don’t buy an iPhone expecting to install whatever you want. You don’t buy a Corolla expecting to off-road with it. Apple's current behavior isn't written in stone and dictated by God, it can change.
It is sad they don't have rooted developer phones available. I'd switch platforms in a second if they started allowing me root on my own device.
Re: Apple ordered to not block Epic’s Unreal Engine, Fortnite to stay off App Store
#228Shame, blocking the Unreal engine would have hurt Apple a lot more than Epic though lets face it the real losers would have been developers.
How do you figure? Apple's customers usually have gaming as a pretty low priority for purchasing of Apple products.
The PR hit?
Re: Apple ordered to not block Epic’s Unreal Engine, Fortnite to stay off App Store
#229Epic is just the new gang in town establishing themselves while trying to get some shops under their control, by playing being against the long time block owners.
I support any gang that wants to give developers and users more freedom of choice. What do you support?
Freedom of choice, like which store to buy their Epic Game Store exclusive games at... oh wait.
Re: Apple ordered to not block Epic’s Unreal Engine, Fortnite to stay off App Store
#230Earlier quoted context omitted.
Some people choose to live in the country, off the grid, and wonder why people would want the live in a city (under closer scrutiny of others and the government). For this “freedom” to work they run all their own infrastructure, need to manage their own defense (against fire and wild animals), and have little or no support if things go really wrong but they prefer it this way, it suits them. Meanwhile the city dwelle…
As i wrote in another comment, those comparisons 99.9% of the time lose a ton of details so they are not helpful at all. The choice for others to have no choice is not really much of a choice - not only i want to have a choice in what i install on iOS devices but i also want the ability to have a choice available in all of the devices i paid for, especially in an environment where other companies see Apple's success…
All analogies will have that problem, it's unconstructive to dismiss them like this. Understanding this is part of how arguing and exchanging ideas takes place.
I don't think it's Apple's fault if other companies try to copy them poorly. I'm very familiar with what you mean and it bothers me too, but I don't think that means Apple needs to change.