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Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS

techcrunch.com

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Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS

#31

Post by bevekspldnw »

retskrad wrote: post #3

Why are investors seemingly blind to the fact that Apple is fighting tooth and nail to protect their App Store revenue (while looking like jackasses in the court of public opinion and pissing off regulators and their relationship with developers) because if the App Store money in their pocket dries up, all hell breaks loose because all of their hardware products are no longer growing. The stock will crash and the exe…

I think the cracks will start to show the longer big apps don’t come to Vision Pro. Apple has spent the last decade pissing off developers and partners, and just when they need them the most - during the fragile time of getting an entire new platform off the ground - they are doubling down on being assholes.

Every single review I’ve seen mentions that Netflix and YouTube aren’t on Vision Pro. One of the biggest applications of VR is gaming and they’re going nuclear with Epic instead of developing a great partnership to bring high value gaming to Vision Pro. Hubris before the fall.

Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS

#33

Post by DinaCoder99 »

retskrad wrote: post #3

Why are investors seemingly blind to the fact that Apple is fighting tooth and nail to protect their App Store revenue (while looking like jackasses in the court of public opinion and pissing off regulators and their relationship with developers) because if the App Store money in their pocket dries up, all hell breaks loose because all of their hardware products are no longer growing. The stock will crash and the exe…

Blind? I assumed that the monopoly on iphone app distribution (and the corresponding growth in fee revenue) was why the stock has been so high recently.

Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS

#34

Post by sidewndr46 »

andersa wrote: post #23
sidewndr46 wrote: post #4

This seems like a publicity stunt to me. No one would rationally expect Epic to have a developer account with Apple. The terms allow them to remove you for any reason and not disclose it.

Their terms are not relevant, Apple has no authority over the DMA.

so if I set up my own app store with nothing but apps designed to scam people, Apple has to allow me to do it?

Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS

#35

Post by andrewmcwatters »

Whether or not Tim Sweeney has a legal leg to stand on, I'm so happy he keeps fighting this. Likewise with Spotify. I love that the EU is pushing legislation to give at least some people back control of their devices.

I'm curious why Tim Cook thinks Apple can continue to treat developers they way they do for years on end and it won't slowly but surely come to bite them hard one day.

Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS

#36

Post by lxgr »

ajaimk wrote: post #11

They got kicked out for willingly breaking the rules in the past. Not for criticizing Apple. Actions have consequences.

The difference is that Apple is now largely no longer in control of the rules, at least in the EU. It seems like they haven't come to terms with that yet.

Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS

#37

Post by afavour »

sidewndr46 wrote: post #15
disgruntledphd2 wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Given the DMA, Apple are required to allow people to develop other App Stores. If they can kick off anyone who decides to do that, then the law is entirely pointless (and the EU commission are likely to be upset).

Sure, they are required to allow people to develop other App Stores. They can also add any number of other policies which you probably run afoul of several times a day. Then terminate you for that. You can still develop your app store, you just can't break all the rules to develop your app store.

...which is exactly the kind of thing the EU Commission will punish them for.

If they create a bunch of new rules and only punish those who are developing their own app stores they haven't given themselves a magic get out of jail free card, it'll be very obvious to everyone what is going on.

Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS

#38

Post by Kluggy »

BearOso wrote: post #21
Fin_Code wrote: post #7

Sounds like they violated a non disparagement clause and signaled they will not adhere to policy. All they had to do is keep quiet and launch to minimize their liability. Guess they will need to fight in the EU to see if they can claw back.

There's no chance the DMA includes a non disparagement clause. That's totally against free speech.

I don’t understand how free speech relates to the DMA?

Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS

#39

Post by _fat_santa »

hizanberg wrote: post #18

If I had a Customer that spent years relentlessly complaining about my Company, I know I wouldn't want to have them as a Customer. It does present an interesting question on whether a Company can be forced to have a bad actor as a Customer, I guess this will be decided in the lawsuits to come.

The key difference I see in Apple's app store business is that it's a monopolistic marketplace model. If Apple allowed an alternative to the app store then this wouldn't be an issue. Take Microsoft and Windows as an example, they have the Microsoft store which operates as a marketplace with rules but they don't get the same scrutiny because there are alternatives. Don't like what MS is doing with their app store? Fine just release the binary yourself.

With Apple though, the bring it on themselves by having a monopolistic marketplace. Since they are the sole gatekeeper to getting apps on the iDevices, there is no alternative like there is in the MS ecosystem. Apple could end all scrutiny tomorrow if they allowed a way to install apps on iDevices that bypassed the app store and Epic would have no case.

Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS

#40

Post by andersa »

The fines Apple is going to collect for intentionally failing to comply with the DMA are going to be of Epic proportions, exceeding any profit they could have gotten by continuing to steal 30% from society. Ready your popcorn buckets for the next few months/years. They will likely be making an example out of Apple - after all Apple and Google are the reason for this legislation to exist in the first place.

> In the non-compliance decision, the Commission may impose on a gatekeeper fines not exceeding 10 % of its total worldwide turnover in the preceding financial year where it finds that the gatekeeper, intentionally or negligently, fails to comply with [...]

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