It seems like Apple and Epic Games are not going to be playing nicely after all. The game developer and publisher have just gone ahead and filed a new lawsuit against the iPhone maker. This time, the company is being accused of not complying with the court order issued in 2021. The court order allows the developers to bypass the App Store's 30% commission by bringing in alternative links that can be used by the user.
The Epic vs. Apple battle is not over, as a new lawsuit has been filed against the iPhone maker
Apple was ordered to allow developers to direct users to different payment systems outside the App Store. This move allowed all developers to avoid the commission. The judge even concluded that the existing payment policies are in violation of the Californian Unfair Competition Law.
So why is Epic Games coming after Apple once again? Well, the company argues that the Cupertino firm is not complying with the court order as it is still charging developers a commission for payments that are not even made through the App Store, which does sound anti-competitive even when you do not want to think about it.
Epic Games is currently demanding the court to hold Apple accountable for “failure to properly comply with a court order to open its App Store to outside payment options.” Apple did not stay silent; it talked about how it had complied with the court order and still allows developers to add alternative payment options. It also talks about how the developers are now allowed to “communicate with customers through points of contact obtained voluntarily from customers through account registration within the app.”
While this might not seem like a big issue between Apple and Epic Games this time, one thing that has become evident is that the game developer is no longer fighting its own battle but is now fighting on behalf of the entire industry. This is seriously a bold move on Epic's part, but it also has to be kept in mind that things can go sideways if the company is not careful enough when it comes to navigating this slippery slope. We do hope something like that never happens, but it is still worth keeping in mind.
News Source: Engadget
About the author: I have been tinkering with Android devices ever since the early days of the HTC Desire. Over time, I have grown a fondness for the ecosystem and now I cannot live without it. Although some might believe that I have sold my soul to Android, but I believe it is not the case. You can find me writing tutorials and posting guides on a number of different smartphones. When I am not writing here, I am wasting myself away in books, journals, or on Steam.
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