Apple has again emerged victorious in its legal battle with Epic Games

[John Elden Ring]

Apple wins appeal court ruling in App Store legal battle with Epic Games | VGC

Federal court upholds decision first handed down in 2021…

www.videogameschronicle.com

Apple has again emerged victorious in its long-running legal battle with Epic Games.

As reported by Bloomberg, the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a lower-court judge’s 2021 ruling largely rejecting Epic’s claims that Apple violated federal law by not allowing any competing marketplaces on its iOS platform.

Epic’s antitrust lawsuit against the iPhone maker began in August 2020 after it moved to circumvent Apple’s 30% platform fees with a new direct payment option in Fortnite, leading to the game’s removal from the App Store and the termination of Epic’s developer account.

“There is a lively and important debate about the role played in our economy and democracy by online transaction platforms with market power,” the three-judge appeals panel said in the case’s latest ruling.

“Our job as a federal court of appeals, however, is not to resolve that debate — nor could we even attempt to do so. Instead, in this decision, we faithfully applied existing precedent to the facts.”

 

[ghostz]

Apple gonna own epic by the end of this

 

[Nhomnhom]

Fuck Epic. I'm no Apple fan but over time their products are starting to appeal to me, there is something to be said about the benefits of a more closed system. I don't want some trashy MS store or Epic store popping up on my PlayStation so I would be a hypocrite to criticize Apple for not wanting that on their system.

 

[Bryank75]

Good!

 

[ethomaz]

These that are following the case knows how laughable were the Epic “evidences” and “claims”.

At some point the Epic’s lawyers even become memes.

 

[Dabaus]

Isnt microsft banking on apple failing so they can have their app on the store or something to that effect?

 

[ghostz]

Isnt microsft banking on apple failing so they can have their app on the store or something to that effect?

Apples already required to allow downloads from other app stores so I think they don’t really care about the remaining battles

 

[nongkris]

Shame. The quicker these app store monopolies are broken the better for everyone. No wonder Apple and Google has been bribing politicians to delay bringing up the Digital Markets Act again.

 

[ethomaz]

Apples already required to allow downloads from other app stores so I think they don’t really care about the remaining battles

Only in EU and I don’t think they will do that easy.

BTW I support closed systems to continue closed… apps and purchase should pass though a common regulator/engine and in iPhone case it Apple tools.

I hope to not be affected by security issues and bad app quality after Apple allow 3rd-trash to enter in their ecosystem… everything I don’t like in Android probably will come to iPhone… and of course people will blame Apple

Same for close consoles… I don’t anybody else having my data for purchase or allowing apps that didn’t pass though Sony… I want that layer of security over my devices.

 

[Satoru]

I hope to not be affected by security issues and bad app quality after Apple allow 3rd-trash to enter in their ecosystem… everything I don’t like in Android probably will come to iPhone… and of course people will blame Apple

Typical misinformed apple user.

 

[ethomaz]

Typical misinformed apple user.

Same for closed consoles but you just read and cut that to blame typical informed Apple user… why not typical informed PlayStation user?



BTW it is the same reason I don’t support Gamepass.

Just take a look at the apps on Android and iPhone and you can see the difference but you probably never used a Apple device so will continue being a typical misinformed Android user

The last thing a typical informed Apple/PlayStation/others users want is to have to deal with the Android mess with apps.

 

[Zzero]

Isnt microsft banking on apple failing so they can have their app on the store or something to that effect?

No, they want it to fail, but can make due without.

What the industry really needs is an open platform -including store fronts- that anyone can use without restriction. A decade ago that was supposed to be Google, but it never was with the store, which kind of sucks (and has held back things like unrestricted ad blocking over time.) That said, Epic was really sticking their neck out, legally, and while this case might continue on to the Supreme Court its more likely that this is it getting chopped off.

 

[Wraith Phantom]

Good. Epic are on some bullshit. Want to freeloaders of a platform built by others. They win this they'll try that shit on PS and everywhere else. Make money from you on platform. Make a game instead of Nickel and diming MTX.

 

[Killer_Sakoman]

If Epic wins? Will it will effect gaming consoles? Every publisher will have his own digital store on my PS5.

 

[Dr Bass]

Guys .... Apple and Google having totalitarian control over the most important computing platforms to the general public is not a good thing.

Can you imagine if Microsoft wanted total control over Windows software AND a 30% cut of all business being transacted on the platform? Everyone would think that was outrageous. Same for Apple and MacOS. Or Linus Torvalds and Linux.

But the mobile platforms are bigger than those at this point. And people cheer Apple on ... I don't get it.

And they also don't compare to consoles at all, which are very singular purpose entertainment devices. iPhones and Android devices are computers now, and many people's primary device and sole way of interacting with small/medium/large businesses around the globe. I know I've harped on this, but no, no company should have that much power and control over every day lives of everyone.

 

[Bryank75]

If Epic wins? Will it will effect gaming consoles? Every publisher will have his own digital store on my PS5.

That would be a fucking nightmare.

 

[Dr Bass]

If Epic wins? Will it will effect gaming consoles? Every publisher will have his own digital store on my PS5.

It wouldn't happen and it's not the same situation, even remotely.

 

[nongkris]

Guys .... Apple and Google having totalitarian control over the most important computing platforms to the general public is not a good thing.

Can you imagine if Microsoft wanted total control over Windows software AND a 30% cut of all business being transacted on the platform? Everyone would think that was outrageous. Same for Apple and MacOS. Or Linus Torvalds and Linux.

But the mobile platforms are bigger than those at this point. And people cheer Apple on ... I don't get it.

And they also don't compare to consoles at all, which are very singular purpose entertainment devices. iPhones and Android devices are computers now, and many people's primary device and sole way of interacting with small/medium/large businesses around the globe. I know I've harped on this, but no, no company should have that much power and control over every day lives of everyone.

you're making too much sense. Apple has already spent millions of dollars in advertising using fear that alternative options will make their phone less safe, for "reasons". It's funny because Apple knows how to keep an operating system safe whille allowing downloads from the internet/other app stores, they own Mac for gods sake.

 

[ethomaz]

No, they want it to fail, but can make due without.

What the industry really needs is an open platform -including store fronts- that anyone can use without restriction. A decade ago that was supposed to be Google, but it never was with the store, which kind of sucks (and has held back things like unrestricted ad blocking over time.) That said, Epic was really sticking their neck out, legally, and while this case might continue on to the Supreme Court its more likely that this is it getting chopped off.

That already exists and it is called Android.
You can install from any place and can have any store front you want.

And for people that prefer closed ecosystems? Why we need to accept Android way? Why can’t we have just iOS like it is? Or better have more closed platform to choose?

 

[ethomaz]

It wouldn't happen and it's not the same situation, even remotely.

It is the same situation to be fair.

What apply to iOS applies to PS OS, Xbox OS or Switch OS.

Being selective where you can have closed platform is weird… or you have in any place or you have in none.

But having no closed platform option will just harm consumers because you are basically taking options from the market. Not everybody likes how open platforms works.

More closed and open platforms should be the ideal and not that artificial forced way… the market can choose what they want… if they don’t want closed platform they will just not buy it and so it will die naturally

Now wanting to force Apple to open iOS just because you don’t like closed platforms (or iOS or Apple) is what can’t happen in any market.

The biggest question is… if you don’t like closed platforms, iOS or Apple why do you want it to become open? After all it continuing like it is won’t affect you.