Apple's had it with Epic's app store shenanigans, terminates dev account
- Reference: 1709818386
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2024/03/07/epic_apple_developer_account/
- Source link:
The closure of the Epic Games Sweden AB developer account is the latest twist in the saga of the Fortnite game creator and the iPhone seller. After much toing and froing, [1]in February it looked like the Epic Games Store was headed to iOS in Europe. However, this changed with the abrupt termination of that precious developer account.
In a [2]post published yesterday on the matter, Epic shared a number of exchanges with Apple in which it outlined plans for its developer account: develop an Epic Games Store iOS app and create a Fortnite native app for distribution through that store.
[3]
Europe's Digital Markets Act (DMA) permits third-party app stores. Epic quoted the act in its blog post:
[4]
[5]
"The gatekeeper shall allow and technically enable the installation and effective use of third-party software applications or software application stores using, or interoperating with, its operating system and allow those software applications or software application stores to be accessed by means other than the relevant core platform services of that gatekeeper."
[6]Apple was less than pleased to find itself designated as a gatekeeper, but the designation has remained despite the company's protestations. Microsoft [7]described Apple's [8]compliance plan as "a step in the wrong direction." In January posts on X, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney was a bit more [9]colorful and used phrases such as "hot garbage" and "horror show" in his response to what he called "Apple's plan to thwart Europe's new Digital Markets Act."
[10]
It now appears the CEO's blunt comments played a role in Apple's decision to terminate Epic's developer account. Included in Epic's blog is an email purported to be from Apple exec Phil Schiller, who claimed Sweeney's "colorful criticism of our DMA compliance plan", along with Epic's "past practice of intentionally violating contractual provisions with which it disagrees" gave rise to suspicions that Epic Sweden might not follow Apple's rules.
[11]EU takes a bite out of Apple with $2B in-app purchase fine
[12]Apple makes it official: No Home Screen web apps in European Union
[13]Europe forces Apple to give its citizens some choice over iOS browser engine, app store
[14]US Supreme Court doesn't want to hear Apple, Epic's gripes about in-app purchases
Sweeney responded to that email from Schiller by saying: "Epic and its subsidiaries are acting in good faith" and would comply with Apple's terms.
Apple appears to have been unimpressed with Sweeney's assurances.
Shortly after the email exchange came the inevitable legal letter from Apple, which arrived on March 2, confirming that the Developer Program membership of Epic Games Sweden AB had been terminated, effective immediately.
Epic said: "In terminating Epic's developer account, Apple is taking out one of the largest potential competitors to the Apple App Store. They are undermining our ability to be a viable competitor and they are showing other developers what happens when you try to compete with Apple or are critical of their unfair practices."
[15]
Apple had not responded to The Register at the time of publication, though it gave a statement to [16]The Washington Post :
"Epic's egregious breach of its contractual obligations to Apple led courts to determine that Apple has the right to terminate '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. In light of Epic's past and ongoing behavior, Apple chose to exercise that right."
According to reports, EU regulators are interested in Apple's actions and are considering whether they represent a breach of compliance. ®
Get our [17]Tech Resources
[1] https://twitter.com/EpicNewsroom/status/1758516979705557241
[2] https://www.epicgames.com/site/en-US/news/apple-terminated-epic-s-developer-account
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2Zenyv0QwggdJBRC2hUAF6QAAAEI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Zenyv0QwggdJBRC2hUAF6QAAAEI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Zenyv0QwggdJBRC2hUAF6QAAAEI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/17/apple_ec_dma/
[7] https://twitter.com/bondsarah_bond/status/1752083596318593238
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/25/apple_eu_dma/
[9] https://twitter.com/TimSweeneyEpic/status/1750589570880516402
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44Zenyv0QwggdJBRC2hUAF6QAAAEI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2024/03/04/eu_apple_fine/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/16/apple_web_apps/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/25/apple_eu_dma/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/16/apple_epic_payments_ruling/
[15] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33Zenyv0QwggdJBRC2hUAF6QAAAEI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[16] https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/03/07/apple-epic-games-european-union-rules/c1295c9a-dc74-11ee-b5e9-ad4573c62315_story.html
[17] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
They must be nervous to act so brazenly.
They've thrown those toys so high they're practically in orbit.
Icon because I'll need some to get the popcorn popped.
Apple must think that having such a huge market share will win the day as Epic will back down.
Not sure which way it will go. Could this be Apple following Nokia & Blackberry into decline? Or, will this allow another competitor to take Epic's spot? I wouldn't want to bet on it.
Apple got away with it last time. Maybe they will as well this time? After all, Epic did break their Ts&Cs - so it helped with the PR but probably not the court case.
I don't know who'd have the name recognition to be a successful app store alternative. But Epic might be one contender I suppose?
I’m going to put a Seven on this check
There isn’t a fine big enough to punish Apple. Their plan seemed tailored to fail.
The solution is for the EU to tell Apple to put a 7 on a check and let Epic add Zeros until they feel vindicated.
iOS App stores should not be under Apple control
Sounds like a new mechanism needs to be introduced, so iOS App stores can be officially created without having an Apple Dev account.
aka completely uncouple app stores from Apple's developer control
That way, Apple can't do Stupid Stuff to 3rd party applications when they're unhappy with the developers.
Re: iOS App stores should not be under Apple control
Many developers simply refuse to engage with iOS until the developer DRM is removed. It kills passion and innovation knowing that your program won't work in ~10 years and all that hard effort will be wasted.
So once this backwards crap is resolved and iOS joins the rest of the world in "non-locked down" platforms, it will be better for consumers too.
Apple mostly spit in the face of the EU's plans to corral them into playing fair, hopefully they respond in kind. If Apple is simply going to play this cat and mouse game, EU should simply ban their sales until they come in good faith and not some passive aggressive at best flaunting of their market power.
Exactly the reaction Epic wanted from Apple
Apple terminating Epics dev account, will be seen by EU regulators as an attempt to stifle competing app stores and as non compliance with DMA before it has come into force.
I can't help thinking this was exactly the reaction Epic's App store exchanges with Apple were meant to provoke.
Time for a bigger stick
Apple's arrogance is astounding. The EU needs to hit Apple with a bigger stick this time methinks; and this is coming from an Apple convert!
Hire a private developer.
Just have one work on behalf of an mutual benefactor (Epic) and release a third party app(store) under them and funnel the Fortnite downloads that way.
Apple can stop every developer they want, but if that turns into every developer, then they will have to ban all third party development.
Not sure if they are that insane for control but that would be a good test. Turn all apple developers into now rival third party app makers through contracts to make Epics stuff for apple products on their behalf. Sure not as profitable for epic but potentially a scorched earth approach for apple if epic really want to try run them down.
Android has a 70% global market share.
Why go through all this crap to be on Apple? Markets can be manipulated from the ground up as well as top down. If enough developers quit iOS, the users they target on it will switch to distinctive, overpriced models of Android phones so they can use/play with stuff. Platforms fade all the time due to bad decisions. Psion. Blackberry. and even (with W11) Microsoft. If your app is good enough, people will buy a phone to use it.
Re: Android has a 70% global market share.
Android may have 70% global market share, but the Apple app store takes 50% of the global spending on apps. Google Play store takes 27% of the global spending. Effectively, the average Apple user spends more than four times as much on app store purchases than an Android user.
Re: the average Apple user spends more than four times as much
That means a lot of Apple users must spend an awful lot of mulah on apps.
I've had an iPhone since a 4S and have not spent a bent penny since I upgraded to an iPhone 5. The two apps I did pay for ceased development around that time.
As I don't game or use (Anti)Social Media my lack of expenditure is understandable.
I guess that I'm not the average iPhone user because I refuse to use a large screen phone and stick with a used SE model.
I like a number of Apple products. My iPhone and iPad are great devices, but I simply cannot stand the way Apple chooses to do business a lot of the time. They act like a petulant toddler who throws a tantrum every time they don't get their way, and then lately the whataboutism has been creeping into their corporate messaging as well. This, their trying to blame Spotify, and their whole PWA tantrum, both from only a few days ago, are prime examples. A company with a trillion dollar market cap, you would think, could be a little bit more mature about things.
When you buy Apple crap products, you support this behavior. If you want them to stop behaving like a child, stop buying their products.
This is not going to end well for Apple.