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Epic Games steps up Apple fight with EU antitrust complaint

reuters.com

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Re: Epic Games steps up Apple fight with EU antitrust complaint

#781

Post by leadingthenet »

wernercd wrote: post #770
cmdli wrote: post #739

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair, Fortnite did try to get their players to use sideloading to get around the 30% cut Google took. With Apple's more aggresive consumer protection stance, it wouldn't be surprising for more companies to take that step.

> aggressive consumer protection stance Aggressive Protection? Sounds like the Mafia. Protection, paid for by you whether you want it or not. Pay the 30% or the mafia's going to break your kneecaps.

Don’t be ridiculous, it’s not like Apple’s forcing anyone to publish software on the App Store. Or buy any of their hardware products, for that matter...

People and organisations do it because it’s highly profitable, and it’s highly profitable because it’s a trusted and curated platform (unlike the competition).

Pretending this is anything like the mafia is childish.

Re: Epic Games steps up Apple fight with EU antitrust complaint

#782

Post by [deleted] »

908B64B197 wrote: post #737
elefanten wrote: post #695

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except as soon as it becomes a remotely feasible action (with simple instructions) for the general consumer, a bunch of businesses will start requiring their users to disable "default Grandma mode". Imagine onboarding for Netflix including a pleasantly designed screen saying "Before you can use Netflix, you must Enable Third-party Stores. Go to Settings > Privacy..." If that comes to pass, there will be no highly-gua…

I would trust Netflix. Other companies? Not so much. The App Store (and reduced API surface) was a true revolution for the customer. Remember every app installer requiring admin privilege on Windows and creating it's service that runs at startup checking for updates, littering the registry and sometimes installing drivers? All gone from the App Store. If the app maker doesn't like it he can go target another platform…

[deleted]

Re: Epic Games steps up Apple fight with EU antitrust complaint

#783

Post by leadingthenet »

2OEH8eoCRo0 wrote: post #762
elefanten wrote: post #695

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except as soon as it becomes a remotely feasible action (with simple instructions) for the general consumer, a bunch of businesses will start requiring their users to disable "default Grandma mode". Imagine onboarding for Netflix including a pleasantly designed screen saying "Before you can use Netflix, you must Enable Third-party Stores. Go to Settings > Privacy..." If that comes to pass, there will be no highly-gua…

>Imagine onboarding for Netflix including a pleasantly designed screen saying "Before you can use Netflix, you must Enable Third-party Stores. Go to Settings > Privacy..." Then we deal with that later?

It’s already being dealt with. The current arrangement is the solution.

Re: Epic Games steps up Apple fight with EU antitrust complaint

#784

Post by count »

jimnotgym wrote: post #754

If a locked down app store is necessary for say safety, perhaps a good analogue is a water utility company. A water company has a monopoly in an area, due to the impractical nature of duplicate infrastructure. However, in return it may be heavily regulated in terms of its safety and pricing. If you have to have a single app store then their prices should be regulated, and crucially there should be proper recourse for…

A better analogue is cars. You can't install anything unapproved by Lexus on a Lexus system. But you can buy a different car, and get different software and apps.

Re: Epic Games steps up Apple fight with EU antitrust complaint

#785

Post by enos_feedler »

amelius wrote: post #769
enos_feedler wrote: post #756

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The difference between regulating the price of water and the price of an app is the innovation curve. You can regulate the price of water because the creation, distribution and consumption of H20 hasn't changed in a long time. Meanwhile, every June Apple shows up with new APIs that developers can use to tap into the billions of hardware R&D they've invested for that year. Regulating price here is stifling innovation.

Meh. Distribution of computer programs has been done since the beginning of computing. Also, there is innovation in the water supply (which most people are unaware of).

Can you send me your mailing address? I have a cool game for you to check out on a 3.5" floppy. It's also going to install a virus on your computer and you'll need to format your machine after. This was my life in the 6th grade and my dad literally beat me for messing up his computer. I don't want to go back there.

Re: Epic Games steps up Apple fight with EU antitrust complaint

#786

Post by dlubarov »

MrScruff wrote: post #757
zpeti wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One of the absolutely obvious hypocritical things for me is that they don't allow anyone to say in their app that "Apple gets 30% of this fee" That's the equivalent of the IDFA message for Facebook. Which everyone will see, its worded in a very negative way, and it's a must.

The IDFA warning is useful to the consumer. How is the business contract between Apple and the software developer of interest to the consumer?

As an example, it would benefit Spotify iOS users if the app could say "FYI, we charge $13/mo on iOS to offset Apple's cut, but you can subscribe for $10/mo on our website if you prefer."

Re: Epic Games steps up Apple fight with EU antitrust complaint

#787

Post by georgeecollins »

AmericanChopper wrote: post #640
Daho0n wrote: post #633

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can abuse your market position without being a monopoly.

Of course you can. But the parent comment doesn’t put forward any argument for why they think that’s happening. They’re just saying Apple has a monopoly over Apple customers. Which is more of a truism rather than anything insightful.

I think it is safe to say that if Apple allowed another company to offer an app store, even using all the same screening and security protocols Apple does, they would take a lower cut of app revenue. I believe that is what bothers Epic. If they don't like the cut Valve demands they can make their own store on Windows, and they do.

Argument for why is that happening: So Apple can make more money.

(Disclosure: I am an Apple shareholder.)

Re: Epic Games steps up Apple fight with EU antitrust complaint

#788

Post by leadingthenet »

orangecat wrote: post #759
dmitriid wrote: post #712

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's depressing that even on hackernews where you expect people want to tinker and have control over their machines there's a probably a majority who are happy with the situation I am happy with the situation for one simple reason: it just works. I hve to many things to deal with and tinker with elsewhere. I honestly don't want to tinker with my phone.

I honestly don't want to tinker with my phone. So don't? People seem to have the idea that in order to use Android effectively you have to rebuild the kernel every week. If you treat a Pixel like an iPhone, it works like an iPhone.

No, it really doesn’t, except if looked through the most superficial lens.

Re: Epic Games steps up Apple fight with EU antitrust complaint

#789

Post by count »

colinmhayes wrote: post #525
jvzr wrote: post #464

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This is how life is as a PC gamer and it's.... actually good. Who cares if you need to open multiple stores? I do. I hate it with passion. Launchers have to be updated, games have to be updated; they all have different UX, work better or worse than the other. Let me have just Steam and regulate Valve so that they don't abuse their position, and I'll be fine thank you.

Imagine hating something so trivial that provides real tangible benefits so much.

The only tangible benefits it provides are to the publishers.

Re: Epic Games steps up Apple fight with EU antitrust complaint

#790

Post by leadingthenet »

heavyset_go wrote: post #748
cwhiz wrote: post #684

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I’m sorry but it an astonishingly stupid take. To you. >Apple and android DO have a duopoly, and it is bad for every phone owner. Google owns over 85% of the worldwide smartphone market. I agree that we need more competition. This competition should come from breaking Google/Android into 4 pieces, and then we'll have 5 companies with 15-25% market.

In the US, iOS has 52.4% of the mobile OS marketshare, and Android has 47%[1]. In the US, Apple's App Store makes more than 100% more revenue than Google's Play store does[2]. [1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/266572/market-share-held... [2] https://www.businessofapps.com/data/app-revenues/

And the reason that’s the case is precisely because of these restrictions. Not in spite of them!
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