Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Apple ordered to not block Epic’s Unreal Engine, Fortnite to stay off App Store

techcrunch.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

281–290 of 639 posts

Re: Apple ordered to not block Epic’s Unreal Engine, Fortnite to stay off App Store

#281

Post by admax88q »

a2tech wrote: post #264
causality0 wrote: post #5

A victory for sanity. Apple threatening developmental licenses and anyone who used the Unreal Engine was nothing short of mafia-esque, and just as obviously Fortnite being restored to the app store is a matter for Epic's lawsuit against apple.

Isn't this still an Epic issue? Basically if Epic delivered their engine to their customers as source code and NOT as a compiled binary couldn't the customers build the engine and include it in their App Store submission? But since Epic is trying to deliver the compiled engine to their customer (signed with their dev keys) thats where the problem comes in?

How can epic develop the engine if they are banned form using Apple development tools.

Re: Apple ordered to not block Epic’s Unreal Engine, Fortnite to stay off App Store

#282

Post by delfinom »

pjmlp wrote: post #122
bananaface wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They're trying to establish a precedent that would limit all monopolistic behaviour, including theirs. Obviously their motivations are to make it easier for them to compete, but it won't make it easier for them to become a monopoly.

20% global market share isn't a monopoly.

Monopoly laws are country based not global. Global market share means jackshit.

Re: Apple ordered to not block Epic’s Unreal Engine, Fortnite to stay off App Store

#283

Post by kenjackson »

IvanK_net wrote: post #20

I still wonder why so many people buy devices, where the only software you could run has to be approved by the manufacturer. I think we should speak more about this fact, so that people think twice before they buy some device. I only make websites, but I am worried, that at some point, Apple would want me to pay them, so that my website is openable on their devices.

MOST of the devices I buy the only SW that runs on it is from the manufacturer (either directly or indirectly).

The only devices I get SW from other sources is my computer, phone, and watch -- at least as far as I can recall. And while my computer is a Windows PC and my phone an iPhone - I have never once thought that I'd have access to more/better SW if the iPhone was more open like my PC.

I get what you're saying, but it is so far down the list of concerns for most consumers as to be a complete non-factor.

Re: Apple ordered to not block Epic’s Unreal Engine, Fortnite to stay off App Store

#284

Post by jariel »

causality0 wrote: post #5

A victory for sanity. Apple threatening developmental licenses and anyone who used the Unreal Engine was nothing short of mafia-esque, and just as obviously Fortnite being restored to the app store is a matter for Epic's lawsuit against apple.

It would have been more of a victory if Apple followed through with the action, because repercussions would have hit far and wide.

Fortnite's entrapment move was powerful because Apple's actions are more exemplary than their threats.

Perhaps it's time for some major app makers to have a day or two where they pull their apps.

Re: Apple ordered to not block Epic’s Unreal Engine, Fortnite to stay off App Store

#285

Post by bredren »

1MoreThing wrote: post #280
paulmd wrote: post #276

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Now if only the courts would apply the same "sanity" to, say, Uber threatening to fire all its drivers if they're subject to regulation. Not just in california, it's been a repeated thing, they used their employees as leverage when they were threatening to take their ball and go home if Dallas made them do background checks too. The sad part is that Epic's tactics are nothing out of the ordinary for these silicon val…

What exactly is sane about figuring out how to make 200,000 contractors full-time employees inside of a week? I don't think there's a company in the world that could pull that off. If a company says, "hey, we're a marketplace" and a court says, "actually, you're not" then the company has to figure out how to adapt. There's change and an emotional toll to the drivers in that scenario whether they become employees or n…

Their job is to plan for this kind of thing in advance. Just like Epic did with their weird video.

Re: Apple ordered to not block Epic’s Unreal Engine, Fortnite to stay off App Store

#286

Post by echelon »

diebeforei485 wrote: post #270
yupyup54133 wrote: post #262

I'm confused. Why doesn't Apple just use their "Termination for Convenience" clause that lets them terminate any contract with a 30 day notice?

Two points- (1) Presumably Apple wanted to try to send a very quick message to others to not try to make similar moves (and to reassure other developers that Epic wasn't getting a special deal) instead of waiting 30 days. (2) I've said this before and it's important to understand this: just because a contract says Apple can do something (terminate the contract with Unreal Engine), that does not mean they can do it. I…

Per item 1, now would be a good time for every single developer on the app store to revolt in unison.

Collective bargaining.

Re: Apple ordered to not block Epic’s Unreal Engine, Fortnite to stay off App Store

#287

Post by Humdeee »

marakv2 wrote: post #123
ericmay wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it’s strange that others (a small subset of people) want to take something great and ruin it. I understand that someone wants to tinker with their phone, but in that case that’s just not what an iPhone is for. It never has been.

You think that allowing another app store will ruin your iPhone? That's incorrect. Just don't use it.

> Just don't use it

What's the argument here, why not just don't use an iPhone then? Why turn an iPhone into more of an Android? I have an iPhone because I don't want to be like an Android. It's a feature to me that this (and other possibilities, bad and good) is not possible, hence why I bought it.

Re: Apple ordered to not block Epic’s Unreal Engine, Fortnite to stay off App Store

#288

Post by bredren »

AnIdiotOnTheNet wrote: post #266
gruez wrote: post #250

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The switching cost between launchers on PC is negligible, compared to phones where it's a massive undertaking. That said, in the context of user freedoms I think it's fair to not support Epic (in part, for their actions towards exclusive games) at the same time as supporting Epic (in part, for their actions on mobile platforms).

I don't think it is. While I may agree with the goal of open platforms, I don't for one moment believe that Epic cares at all about that goal and I do not believe their method of intentionally violating TOS and using propaganda to direct a raging horde of children at Apple is the right way to go about it.

If you take the companies as nation states and the citizens as users then yes Epic’s citizens are largely minors, whereas Apple’s are adults.

Also, the nation of Apple is larger and much more politically connected to true nation states.

Re: Apple ordered to not block Epic’s Unreal Engine, Fortnite to stay off App Store

#289

Post by Bender_Donaghy »

Change My Mind - I currently agree with Apple's strategy with blocking Unreal Engine. Why is it that a big company (like Epic) thinks it's no longer subject to the Apple Tax while us small guys thrive with the platform for which we wouldn't have the audience/opportuity without Apple. Are we all subject to the same cycle if we "make it", we'll buck against the 30% cut and bite the hand that fed us. This is bad business, it's going to create a stronger reaction by Apple that will only hurt the smaller guys. Plus is Epic doing anything to help us smaller developers in the mean time besides wasting money in a court system? Are they creating a fund for us help bridge us to a different system if their appeal fails? So please let me know your opinion, and if I'm wrong, please let me know why.

Re: Apple ordered to not block Epic’s Unreal Engine, Fortnite to stay off App Store

#290

Post by delfinom »

protomyth wrote: post #83
ericmay wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, you just look at the PC ecosystem and you can see the nightmare. Like others,I prefer Apple to have a tightly controlled App Store and believe that the benefits far outweigh the ability to install software from a 3rd party App Store. For example, Apple requiring Sign In with Apple (when signin with Google/Facebook are implemented) where you can hide your email address. That’s not possible with multiple app stor…

You don’t buy a Corolla and get mad that you can’t off road with it, do you? No, but I would get mad if the manufacturer told me what brand of gas I could buy and what roads I could drive on.

Hahahah. Don't get a German car. My god, they would force you to refuel at a fucking dealer if they could. BMW already makes the car go into limp mode if they detect you changed the battery and didn't use an CAN dongle to reset the computer.
Post reply on HN