The landmark case between Epic Games and Apple witnessed a turning point when Apple restored Epic Games’ developer account. The development came in response to swift action by the European Commission, finally ending the lasting conflict that started in 2020. The antitrust lawsuit filed by Epic Games against Apple was based on the claim that the latter had unlawfully created a monopoly by imposing on up to 30% commissions on in-app purchases made on iOS devices. Despite Epic’s efforts to challenge Apple’s policies, the courts sided with Apple. Because of this, Epic was removed from Apple devices due to intentionally violating regulations.
At first, Apple blocked Epic Games from launching their online marketplace to relaunch Fortnite in Europe. Nevertheless, the EU regulators began to tighten the screws with the enforcement of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which brought about a turnaround on Apple’s part. The DMA made it impossible for Apple and Google to monopolize the channel of app distribution on devices running iOS and Android systems. The European Commission’s involvement led to Apple reinstating and restoring Epic’s developer account, which gave them the opportunity to operate and introduce their game store in Europe and have Fortnite back on iOS devices in the region.
The decision is certainly important and holds significance as it hints at a change in Apple’s App Store business model and demonstrating the power of authorities like the European Commission to hold tech giants accountable. Epic Games and the EU’s commissioner for industry, Thierry Breton, expressed satisfaction with Apple’s move, stressing on the need to enforce DMA policies. Epic Games CEO, Tim Sweeney, welcomed the restoration of the developer account as a positive move, which he interpreted as a signal to developers regarding DMA enforcement. Apple acknowledged the end of the dispute, attributing their decision to Epic’s conformity to DMA’s policies.
As for the future, Epic’s main goal will be to release both the Epic Games Store and updated version of Fortnite on the iOS devices in the European market, with this move representing a significant step in resolving the conflict between the parties. The resumption of the Epic Games’ developer account by Apple on the orders of the EU authorities is the most significant moment in the long legal battle which clearly shows how the regulatory supervision has the ability to change the tech industry outlook.
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