I wont even play it probably, but i look forward to buy that game via the Epic Banana store just to vote with my wallet.
from a practical sense this is insignificant, unless collectively organized
Epic says Apple will reinstate developer account
341–350 of 653 posts
Re: Epic says Apple will reinstate developer account
#342One of the worst gaming user experiences on Windows is how every publisher wants their own store. And depending on where you get a game, it may or may not have certain features. And if you get into modding, sometimes one version of the game just won't work with some mods. I understand everyone feels good about increased competition with Apple—and hopefully it turns out well for users—but iOS is hurtling toward the sa…
It's a much better experience on windows to not be stuck with a windows store. Third party stores like steam are way better
Imagine if we had to download the Windows Store on iOS just to get Outlook, Word or Excel though. That's what the OP is predicting.
Re: Epic says Apple will reinstate developer account
#343Earlier quoted context omitted.
This needs to be higher up. Apple didn't budge, or cave, and regulators did not get involved. Epic could have avoided all this by just responding to Apple and signing the EU Addendum affirming they would stick to the laws. Instead they wanted to get into the news cycle. This is the policy they have to agree to: https://developer.apple.com/contact/request/download/alterna...
Regulators did get involved: https://twitter.com/ThierryBreton/status/1765793776692326891
And news article https://www.reuters.com/technology/eu-regulators-seek-detail...
Includes the tweet as well as confirmation they that the commission did talk to Apple on Thursday
Re: Epic says Apple will reinstate developer account
#344Earlier quoted context omitted.
The EU is on a roll politically, it's much more agile and expertise-focused than most governments. Also he ceiling is a lot higher than in the US given that half of the EU is underdeveloped. Look at Estonia's potential for example, Bolt is the fastest growing transportation company globally.
There's a ceiling?
There is, it's called workforce. Incase you need an example, TSMC recently pushed back its fab plans in the US by atleast a year because they couldn't find enough specialists.
Re: Epic says Apple will reinstate developer account
#345Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yikes I hate that Thierry is using "#freefortnite". You can be completely on board with the DMA but still see Epic's behavior as entirely profit motivated and "freeing Fortnite" should not be any official's priority. Epic is not some oppressed minority that needs saving.
> You can be completely on board with the DMA but still see Epic's behavior as entirely profit motivated and "freeing Fortnite" should not be any official's priority. The Digital Markets Act is all about profit-motivated businesses. It regulates markets, not charities. It's not anti-profit at all, just pro-competition, and Apple was attempting to stifle competition.
Precisely! This all about market competition which may both spur new technologies and lower prices for consumers.
The entire point of DMA is to make sure platforms can’t use lock in to prevent others from joining the market for digital goods and services.
What terrifies Apple isn’t Fortnite, it’s that Epic will make a *better* AppStore.
Re: Epic says Apple will reinstate developer account
#346It feels like the initial ban decision was driven by some high level exec (probably Phil Schiller)? If it was happened to be reviewed carefully by lawyers and public relations, they cannot really ban Epic so quickly. There are too many uncertainties and if you do something wrong, that puts government relations at huge risk. Typical employees cannot be held accountable for such decisions, not even low tier VP.
Re: Epic says Apple will reinstate developer account
#347Earlier quoted context omitted.
Not an outlier and is pretty standard. When it was originally announced it was one of the best deals out there for developers writing software for phones. The WWDC audience cheered at getting 70%.
Doesn't matter. Why does the developer of the operating system get to take anything from a sale between an app developer and the owner of the actual cellphone? It is not Apples phone anymore after they sell it to a customer. Imagine if your car manufacturer wanted 30% of revenue from the shops you drive your car to.
Replace "developer of the operating system" with "curator of the ecosystem of highly affluent, paying customers" and you'll start to understand why Apple thinks they should have a cut. They see themselves as the headhunter, finding paying customers for the developer.
Re: Epic says Apple will reinstate developer account
#348Amazing how fast this decision was reversed. It's truly awesome to see regulators standing up to walled gardens. This will greatly benefit both developers and consumers.
From the article > “Following conversations with Epic, they have committed to follow the rules, including our DMA policies. As a result, Epic Sweden AB has been permitted to re-sign the developer agreement and accepted into the Apple Developer Program.”
This is Apple's propaganda to try and save face. What happened is the EU stepped in and explained to them what the consequences of breaking the DMA would be.
Apple backed down, like they did a week ago with PWAs.
Re: Epic says Apple will reinstate developer account
#349Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is one of those things where there is only upside for everyone involved. Apple (and Google) need to be saved from themselves sometimes. Meanwhile the repeated reversals are making Apple look guilty and nefarious.
Yeah we get to choose between google and apple. Lucky us...
Other titans tried, they all failed to capture. Blackberry lagged for too long and Microsoft simply lacked the network effects since early advertisement was based on how large the app stores were.
The only solace is that you can modify Android to the point where there's almost no Google interference whatsoever. But of course some apps choose to rely on that (e.g. Banking).maybe one day Apple will begrudgingly get to that point.
Re: Epic says Apple will reinstate developer account
#350Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think monopoly is the right word because their really are two markets. A customer is only looking for either iOS or Android apps, and isn't going to choose an Android app if they have an iPhone, or vice versa (IOW, iOS apps don't compete with Android apps). Imagine only one company sold diesel fuel, and only one sold gasoline. Wouldn't you say they each had a monopoly?
This is an example of vendor lockin, which is a troubling practice that needs to be stopped, but it is legally and practically distinct from monopoly as defined in antitrust legislation.
We shouldn't limit our use of language based on laws written 100 years ago. It's pretty clear that those laws are inadequate to restrain the monopolies that exist now.
Said another way, you might be right about US antitrust law, but when that law was written the technology didn't exist to create "vendor lock-in" on millions of products at once.
I am curious about the example though, from a legal perspective. Would the only seller of gasoline have a monopoly, even if other fuels were available, and the only barrier to using them was the switching cost of buying a new vehicle?
Edit: For what it's worth, wikipedia uses the word monopoly when "a single vendor controls the market for the method or technology being locked in to".