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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

#371

Post by samatman »

andersa wrote: post #40

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 n…

Sounds like Apple should exit the European market then. No one is forcing them to do business there, and it only accounts for 10% of their revenue.

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

#372

Post by casperb »

I just finished the last episode of The Talk Show podcast, where John Gruber says that Apple doesn’t hold a grudge and is only doing things because they make business sense. He said that because Apple approved Epic’s account and that they would be allowed their own App Store. I already that it was a bad take, but this shows it.

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

#373

Post by causal »

zshrc wrote: post #268
FirmwareBurner wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Apple has plenty of competition What competition? Apple has a 87% market share amongst US teenage population[1], Epic's core gamer market. It's basically a monopoly amongst their core demographic which will grow up to be adults with jobs and paycheck and guess what they'll buy? More Apple. With [1] https://www.barrons.com/articles/apple-stock-teens-iphone-e5...

But is anyone prohibited from going out and buying an Android? I see plenty of Samsung ads on TV. Does Apple stop you from downloading Signal and communicating with your Android friends that way? It's called "competitive advantage" in the US.

I find it frustrating when people think something can't be a trust just because one can imagine hoops a consumer could jump through to find an alternative. Switching from iPhone to Android is onerous, and most users are locked into multi-year payments contracts for the device they have.

A healthy competitive environment should have 10+ options. The fact that two massive corporations have the entire space locked up is not sufficiently competitive nor healthy for consumers.

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

#374

Post by scarface_74 »

andersa wrote: post #62
Despegar wrote: post #57

Epic perhaps thought Apple might show them grace after the lawsuit in the US. A kind of repeat of the Apple-Samsung litigation where everyone has a "it's just business" attitude and keeps doing business together while simultaneously suing each other. Apple on the other hand has decided they will show them no quarter. I don't think they're being emotional about it. I think it's to show every other developer that they…

Epic doesn't care whether Apple shows "grace", or needs them to, they are going in by force with the backing of the EU legislation. It might just take a year or two longer to get through the courts. They can hold out that long without any problems, preparing their store in the background.

That’s very much a Pyrrhic victory if Eoic doesn’t have access to the US market. The court ruling in the US said that Apple has the right to terminate their account.

From the linked article

> This judgment stated that “Apple has the contractual right to terminate its DPLA with any or all of Epic Games’ wholly owned subsidiaries, affiliates, and/or other entities under Epic Games’ control at any time and at Apple’s sole discretion.”

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

#375

Post by BearOso »

Kluggy wrote: post #38
BearOso wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

Not "free speech" as part of the US Bill of Rights, free speech as in "the EU ethics would never have such language in the DMA to forbid it or allow such a violation to stand."

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

#376

Post by threeseed »

jsnell wrote: post #307
Despegar wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not aware of any duty to deal in the DMA.

> 12. The gatekeeper shall apply fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory general conditions of access for business users to its software application stores, online search engines and online social networking services listed in the designation decision pursuant to Article 3(9). Apple don't get to deny access to their main competitor in this space just as a show of force. That is not fair, reasonable or non-discrimina…

a) It is fair and non-discriminatory. Epic was found by the courts to have violated the terms of the agreement that they signed and Apple had the right to terminate it. They have done this with other developers as well.

b) Epic is not their main competitor in anything.

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

#377

Post by scarface_74 »

realusername wrote: post #366
Despegar wrote: post #337

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This will be another issue determined by EU courts, but Apple is not justifying it as a show of force. They're justifying it based on Epic's prior breach of contract and statements they've made. I think based on the record, courts will side with Apple.

Apple has nothing on their side aside from a few tweets criticizing them, that just won't cut it as an exemption to the DMA. It's not like Epic released malware or anything. Remember that the whole goal of the DMA is that actors like Apple and Google can't decide to block competiton on a whim, the exact thing they are doing right now.

According to the article, they have the official court ruling…

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

#379

Post by threeseed »

Jensson wrote: post #351
Despegar wrote: post #337

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This will be another issue determined by EU courts, but Apple is not justifying it as a show of force. They're justifying it based on Epic's prior breach of contract and statements they've made. I think based on the record, courts will side with Apple.

Why would a 4 year old breach of contract warrant a ban today instead of 4 years ago? The trigger was that Epic criticized Apple, that doesn't seem like a warranted reason to ban someone even if they did something bad 4 years ago. Also since the DMA bans arrangement that Epic breached before, there is no reason to suspect that the EU account will breach anything new now, I really doubt EU will let this slide.

> The trigger was that Epic criticized Apple

Epic has been criticising Apple almost every single day.

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

#380

Post by izacus »

ben_w wrote: post #311
izacus wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Having worked for many bosses, never ever never undersestimate the power of ego of an executive. It's only second to the ego of a lawyer. Many of them will tank their company and their client if they get their ego bruised and feel publicly humiliated. Those are hyper competitive people which see live as zero sum game and are trained in life to never, ever, lose a challenge or competition for domination. ESPECIALLY in…

I'm willing to believe Apple may be like that behind the scenes, buuuuuut while reading this: > Many of them will tank their company and their client if they get their ego bruised and feel publicly humiliated. Those are hyper competitive people which see live as zero sum game and are trained in life to never, ever, lose a challenge or competition for domination. ESPECIALLY in public. … I thought you were going to nam…

Let's go with both and even more on top? The exec positions attract the personality type.
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