Apple to request US Supreme Court to reverse App Store ruling in Epic Games Case
Apple to request US Supreme Court to reverse App Store ruling in Epic Games Case
Apple has filed a motion asking the US Supreme Court to reverse a ruling in the Epic Games Case that impacts the iOS App Store.
Really hoping the EU finally forces Apple to open up their devices and we can be done with their nonsense. Let me use real Firefox on my iPad already!
21Apple is legally required by the EU Digital Markets Act to allow 3rd party app stores on iOS by March 2024
20And that will probably only ever apply to the app store in the EU.
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This is not going to be popular but Apple’s walled garden is why I am a customer. The fact that they don’t carry decades of baggage into to their ecosystem is a benefit. Did I hate that I had to leave a perfectly fine 2012 iMac because no more updates and missing features? Sure, but I got a decade out of one computer.
They control the hardware and software in a tightly integrated manner that works great. People who complain about this not being open… you’ve got other options. To me, it’s a product differentiator.
Before someone says I’m not capable of using a “real” OS, I ended up here in 2007 due to OSX with its *nix backend. I started time sharing on a VAX8800, built a career on Sun stuff, jumped to Linux in 1994 doing development (submitted driver updates, FAQs and more). I’ve never looked back and I’m certain I am as efficient and productive as I can be. I use Linux and Windows as well but for different things.
6I would too but when it happens it’ll probably only apply to EU users
4Yeah, can't say I have much hope they'll allow sideloading everywhere, as much as I'd love it. Their restrictions around adult and cannabis-related apps are so silly.
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I can relate to both sides of this fight, but to lend my POV on Apple's stance, they have a valid argument.
When you sign the developer agreement and submit an app to the App Store, you are entering into a contract to make concessions to Apple's business model, and Epic clearly violated these T&Cs.
If Epic truly wanted to institute change in App Store policies in order to maximize their profits from Fortnite, they would have first engaged Apple to initiate the discussion and work towards an amicable solution, which Apple would likely flat out deny. It's at this point that Epic could have used its substantial presence in the industry to rally the developers, the press, and its own user base to stand up to Apple policies and effect that change.
As it stands, their decision to wait for their assured dismissal from the App Store to pursue litigation and position themselves as trying to "stand up for indie developers" comes off as insincere and primarily seeking publicity based on Apple's action in simply abiding by its own long established policies.
Note: While I am primarily a Mac user in my personal life, I tend to be very critical of Apple's business practices in general, and while I have my own negative opinions about Fortnite's transactional model, I try to be unbiased in my response to their actions and subsequent behavior.
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