them originated
in Fortnite. The
extremely popular
free-to-play game
became a major
point of contention
this year when its
developer, Epic
Games, decided
to take on Apple’s
App Store for being
anticompetitive
and unfair.
At the root
of the issue was
Epic’s attempt to add the option for
direct payments on in-game currency
purchases in its iOS app, in order to
make an end run around Apple’s 30 per
cent cut – a move expressly forbidden
by Apple’s rules. But when Epic didn’t
back down, Apple removed the app
from the store, prompting a cry of foul
from the developer.
In other cases, Apple and a
developer might come to an agreement
and move past the issue, but Epic is
a big company in its own right, and
even though it’s had some PR missteps
in this fight, it’s hitting Apple in the
one place that the company is clearly
vulnerable: its App Store practices.
Apple has long asserted that keeping
iOS locked down is a key element in
its unparalleled platform security, but
it does come with restrictions which
many developers have argued are
unfair and, at times, arbitrary.
The two companies have already
traded legal motions, but the official
antitrust trial has now been set
for May 2021, and win or lose, the
outcome could have significant effects
on Apple’s relationships with the
developers that power its platform.APPLE VS GOVERNMENTS
Competitors aren’t the only ones who
have Apple in their cross hairs. In a year
where Big Tech came under increased
government scrutiny – especially in
the US – Apple has not escaped the
attention of legislators and regulators.The Apple/Epic antitrust trial is set for May 2021.