Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees • Hacker News Board

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#101

Post by gruez » Thu, Aug 13, 2020, 7:28 PM UTC

girishso wrote: post #63

KMnO4 wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Free certificates last a week. You can also pay Apple $99 to get a certificate that lasts a year, or pay a "UDID registration" website around $10 for the same (with some limitations).

What’s UDID registration website?

Random result: https://www.udidregistrations.com/

>Starting at $8.99, we also provide Certificate & Provisioning files that can be used to install any app, including apps you've created and those not found on the App Store.

Looks like they're essentially "sharing" developer accounts.

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#102

Post by jaegerpicker » Thu, Aug 13, 2020, 7:28 PM UTC

etimberg wrote: post #82

jaegerpicker wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

US Telecoms were broken up also because they offered little choice to the customer. Ma bell owned the vast majority of them and owned the lines making it hard to impossible to offer other services. Apple isn't even the most popular smart phone. Nothing forces you to use Apple.

Nothing forces you to use Apple, but you are forced to use Apple's app store.

In what way? If I don't want to use or develop for the app store ... I just don't, I build for Google Play or the Web. Nothing forces me to use Apple Hardware and if I want to use Apple Hardware I have to agree to the terms.

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#103

Post by meheleventyone » Thu, Aug 13, 2020, 7:28 PM UTC

ecf wrote: post #91

slongfield wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If a developer doesn't like Unreal's terms, there are other game engines. If a developer doesn't like Apple's terms, there are no viable alternatives for iOS distribution.

But there are other Smartphone platforms with their own store, correct? I don’t know why people feel it’s their undeniable right to be able to provide an app to iOS users.

Isn’t it the other way around that iOS users should be able to shop in competing stores for their apps?

It’s just very few users have any real ability to affect that sort of change.

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#104

Post by csunbird » Thu, Aug 13, 2020, 7:28 PM UTC

aaomidi wrote: post #73

donor20 wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Good lord - on HN the monopoly comments are so crazy sometimes. What is the monopoly issue Apple has? Use android if you don't like Apple's product line. Apple is at 22% share.

So if in a year a product comes out that I really want to use, the product really wants to support apple, but apple says "no we're not going to allow you". I have to create more ewaste by going and buying an android phone instead? Is this what we're advocating for? More consumption of rare resources?

No, you know that the app might not be available for your new iPhone and accept the fact when you buy it or you just do not buy an iPhone and buy Android/LibreOS/etc instead.

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#105

Post by gruez » Thu, Aug 13, 2020, 7:29 PM UTC

basch wrote: post #69

stefan_ wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This seems like a close and shut case of consumer harm right here.

Apple can argue its 30% surcharge protects consumers from their payment information being tied to each individual product, making canceling easier and buying things safer.

Paypal does the same thing and charges an order of magnitude less.

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#106

Post by wmf » Thu, Aug 13, 2020, 7:29 PM UTC

xoxoy wrote: post #90

ecf wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Doesn’t Epic take a cut out of every single purchase made of a game built with Unreal Engine? Seems kinda hypocritical that they’re taking this stance when their licensing model is arguably just as burdensome on developers. In my opinion, Epic should not put their app on the App Store if they don’t like the terms, just as they would tell a developer to not use their engine if they don’t like the terms.

30% is extremely high by any reasonable standard for any marketplace

FWIW brick and mortar stores usually take 40%.

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#107

Post by voidpointercast » Thu, Aug 13, 2020, 7:29 PM UTC

basch wrote: post #69

stefan_ wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This seems like a close and shut case of consumer harm right here.

Apple can argue its 30% surcharge protects consumers from their payment information being tied to each individual product, making canceling easier and buying things safer.

which I very much agree with.

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#108

Post by nrb » Thu, Aug 13, 2020, 7:29 PM UTC

basch wrote: post #69

stefan_ wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This seems like a close and shut case of consumer harm right here.

Apple can argue its 30% surcharge protects consumers from their payment information being tied to each individual product, making canceling easier and buying things safer.

... and competitors do the same for less than a tenth of that cost. The only thing that allows them to do so is complete control over the ecosystem to shut out all competition.

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#109

Post by almost_usual » Thu, Aug 13, 2020, 7:29 PM UTC

aaomidi wrote: post #76

bredren wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Concluding points from the statement: >Epic agreed to the App Store terms and guidelines freely and we’re glad they’ve built such a successful business on the App Store. >The fact that their business interests now lead them to push for a special arrangement does not change the fact that these guidelines create a level playing field for all developers and make the store safe for all users.

> Epic agreed to the App Store terms and guidelines freely lol.

are you suggesting they were threatened?

Re: Apple removes Fortnite from App Store after Epic attempts to bypass fees

#110

Post by axlee » Thu, Aug 13, 2020, 7:29 PM UTC

basch wrote: post #69

stefan_ wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This seems like a close and shut case of consumer harm right here.

Apple can argue its 30% surcharge protects consumers from their payment information being tied to each individual product, making canceling easier and buying things safer.

Then let the market decide if they're ready to pay 30% for that, when they can get <1% at larger competitors who are not even allowed on the platform. iOS is so ubiquitous at this point it should be treated by regulators as a platform, not as a product.