THE NITTY-GRITTY Of The EPIC VS. APPLE CASE

Epic Games protested against Apple in August 2020, following the removal of its most popular game, Fortnite, from the iOS App Store.

What began as a simple consumer warning gained international interest, and on September 9, 2021, the court issued its decision.

For the trial, prominent executives were involved in the high-profile Tim vs. Tim lawsuit. So, before we get to the conclusion, allow me to simplify the case and assist you in learning everything there is to know about this historic legal battle!

What prompted the fight between Apple and Epic Games?

After Epic Games launched a software upgrade last year, the market leaders have been embroiled in a legal struggle. With the upgrade, the players were able to avoid paying Apple a 30% share on each purchase.

Tim Sweeney has long advocated for Apple receiving a larger part of the pie, and he sought to devise a method that either reduced income or prevented Apple from charging any fee.?

Epic Games' most popular game, Fortnite, had a deliberate update on August 13, 2020. Users that purchased V-bucks, the in-game currency, officially from Epic received a 20% discount.

If you bought something through a storefront, you didn't get this discount. This sneaky move allows players to avoid the App Store's payment system, and the consequences were visible within hours.

This was not well received by Apple. As a result, it decided to use its monopoly to force Fornite out of the App Store.

This restriction avoided 116 million of the game's 360 million players from accessing game updates. This sparked the #freefortnite campaign as well as a legal battle between the maestros. Epic Games has filed lawsuits in the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and now Europe.

Discovering the case:

Sweeney confirmed in a discussion with CNN Business that the plan of action known as Project Liberty takes about seven months to put together. Sweeney describes the case as the major bet of his journey in terms of concepts of a digital revolution if Epic Games wins.

The company prepared a 60-page lawsuit and a video parodying the legendary "1984" commercial.

The instance may take months of trials to resolve, but the investigations in the United States are making some headway. Even though the case is still being heard, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has flatly denied Epic Games' application to host Fornite on iOS. It has permitted Epic to maintain its established accounts for maintenance purposes.

Is the conflict limited to Fortnite?

This isn't just about Fornite. Epic Games has demonstrated its brilliance by selecting its best-selling game for the trial to compel feedback from the tech giant.

Tim Sweeney queried the need for a 30% revenue cut for digital storefronts as early as 2017. While these are the global standard rates that are generally recognized, Tim had his two cents on the matter. He claims that;

There is a massive investment in hardware, which is frequently sold below the price, and marketing strategies in a broad collaboration with publishers, but this does not enlarge to open platforms such as mobile devices and computers. The Epic Games Store was created in part to demonstrate that Epic could perform with a lower revenue cut of 12 %.

Why is Google staying neutral?

Epic has declared war on both tech giants due to their large pay cuts. Yes, a lawsuit has been filed against Google as well.

Fortnite was consequently eliminated from the App Store. However, it has not received the same level of media critique as Apple. Google has been engaged in its way and has handled to remain relatively diplomatic about the situation.

With Android 12, it has made it very easy for users to download third-party apps. Google has made a direct reference to its Android blog.

Because of this openness, a developer can distribute on the Android platform even if he or she and Google disagree on business terms. This is why, for example, Fortnite is directly available from Epic's store and other app stores such as Samsung's Galaxy App store.

What has each party to say?

Since its inception, Apple has maintained that its platform is fair. It has expressed its displeasure with Epic for breaking the law by upgrading the game without their approval. In a remark, Apple stated,

Over the last 12 years, our senior executives have looked forward to sharing with the court the very positive impact the App Store had on innovation, economies around the world, and the customer experience. We are confident that the case will show that Epic purposefully breached its agreement solely to increase its revenues, which resulted in its removal from the App Store. By doing so, Epic circumvented the App Store's security, resulting in reduced contests and putting consumers' data privacy and security at risk.

Epic Games is prepared to start a battle because it has been anticipating this moment for a long time. I am confident that they have made excellent preparations for their side. This will be a difficult test for them.

However, there is a risk, and any decision can have far-reaching consequences.

When will the trials begin?

The trials in the United States begin on May 3, 2021. The dates for the trials in Australia, the United Kingdom, and Europe have yet to be announced. The proceedings were initiated against each region in November 2020, January 2021, and February 2021, respectively.

Due to the complexities of the case and a significant system change, we can anticipate that the trials will continue into 2021 and 2022.

Is the battle coming to an end?

Epic Games has helped to squeeze the system to the test by questioning the app store's cut. What has been the current standard for a long time cannot be suddenly changed.

These lawsuits are likely to last a long time, but the modifications will have a significant impact not only on Epic Games, as well as on all apps in the iOS app store.

For the time being, iPhone users will have to wait a little longer for the rain to fall. I'll also keep you updated on any developments.

The final decision: a win situation or a loose situation?

In the September 10 publication, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers issued a judgment that largely favored Apple. There were, however, takeaways for both concerned parties.

According to the judge, Apple must allow developers to include alternate payment links, call-to-action buttons, and external links in the App Store. This was the only area in which Epic Games triumphed. Furthermore, Apple has 90 days to obey the court's order.

However, Apple prevailed in the breach of contract clauses. Epic Games must pay Apple 30 percent of the $12 million in revenue it received from the App Store as compensation for damages.

The judge emphasized Epic Games' failure to present adequate evidence to prove Apple's monopoly.

What about Epic's account reauthorization request?

Epic claimed on September 9, 2021, that it had requested Apple to reinstitute its developer account because the company planned to re-release Fortnite on iOS South Korea. This happened to come after the South Korean government voted to compel Apple and Google to establish alternative payment systems.

Even so, Apple denied reinstating the Epic Games account, claiming that the firm did not accept the developer situation and had violated its agreement. As a result, there is no reason to activate their account.

The judge agreed with Apple's remark and clarified that Apple had the authority to withdraw any or all Epic Games accounts from the App Store.