Clearly the recent 1.8B Euro fine the EU levied against Apple didn't send a message. Perhaps the EU needs to ratchet it up by an order of magnitude.
Quite an authoritarian take.
Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS
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Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS
#92Even setting aside the dubious morality of Apple's rules on iOS, I feel like I'm going insane watching Apple be maximally aggressive. The EU loves regulating! There's nothing they love more! It seems supremely unwise to give them additional excuses to do something they clearly want to do anyways.
> Apple be maximally aggressive
From an observation standpoint seeing how Microsoft behaved in the 90's and onward, they (Apple) are behaving very similarly - almost exactly with what MS did for Windows back then. I have a growing distaste for Apple corporate/mgmt each day even though I am surrounded by their devices.
Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS
#93Sounds 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.
> Sounds like they violated a non disparagement clause
Where do you get this? No third-party developer is under such legal obligation.
Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS
#94I may get rid of my iPhone, this is just horrible continued behavior on Apple’s part. Nothing can be worth the damage this is doing to their reputation
At least thanks to Unreal engine and their content in the PC space, Epic is big enough to survive this, but think of poor small indie devs who can have their revenue streams shut down at any time because $REASON and have no way of fighting back.
Apple needs to be brought down a peg or two.
Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS
#95[deleted]
Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS
#96Even setting aside the dubious morality of Apple's rules on iOS, I feel like I'm going insane watching Apple be maximally aggressive. The EU loves regulating! There's nothing they love more! It seems supremely unwise to give them additional excuses to do something they clearly want to do anyways.
> watching Apple be maximally aggressive
Sweeney allegedly tweeted that he would breach his contract with Apple. Apple reached out and asked if he was being hysterical for public display. He didn’t clarify. At that point, Epic credibly threatened breach of contract.
This is a commercial dispute between multi-billion dollar companies, both of whom charge outrageous platform fees, both of whom seem to enjoy being dramatic, and both of whom are being maximally aggressive. It’s fair to remain emotionally uninvolved.
Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS
#97Maybe Epic should just come out with their own Android-based phone and ignore Apple.
EDIT - I don’t mean this flippantly. I really think a gaming phone made by Epic would be fantastic. They have some great games that I enjoy, including Rocket League and Fortnite. Would love to see what they could do with a phone, especially how well they did on GM’s Hummer ( https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/7/21506572/epic-games-unrea... )
Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS
#98Really curious what Apple's end game is here, they must know that being this anticompetitive will bite them pretty hard in the long term.
Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS
#99If 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? Fin…
But as of iOS 17.4 they do allow alternative app stores in EU.
Re: Apple terminates Epic Games developer account, calling it a 'threat' to iOS
#100Clearly the recent 1.8B Euro fine the EU levied against Apple didn't send a message. Perhaps the EU needs to ratchet it up by an order of magnitude.
Quite an authoritarian take.
Both sides are authoritarian. One is a private company with more money than most countries, one is an economic union nominally representing the people of many countries.
I don't know where I fall on this issue personally, but siding with Apple is probably more authoritarian.