Apple to Allow Epic Games Store on iPhones & iPads in EU following pressure mounted by EU regulators. Apple took a U-turn on its feud with Epic Games on Friday allowing Epic to install its gaming shop on European iPhones and iPads.
Apple took action earlier this week to prevent Epic from opening a store and restoring the well-known game Fortnite, which the iPhone manufacturer withdrew from the App shop in 2020 after Epic disobeyed its in-app payment policies.
After the European Union set a deadline on Thursday for Big Tech companies to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which prohibits Apple and Google from dictating which apps are distributed on devices running the iOS and Android operating systems, Apple decided to extend an invitation to Epic.
The EU’s industry chief, Thierry Breton, stated that authorities had alerted Apple to the iPhone manufacturer’s action earlier this week to obstruct Epic’s possible comeback.
“I take note with satisfaction that following our contacts Apple decided to backtrack its decision on Epic exclusion. From Day 2, #DMA is already showing very concrete results!” Breton said on the X social media platform.
Since 2020, Epic and Apple have been embroiled in a legal dispute stemming from Epic’s allegation that US antitrust laws were broken by Apple’s practice of collecting up to 30% commissions on in-app purchases made on iOS devices. Epic and Apple lost their legal battle, and as a result of the game maker’s deliberate rule-breaking as a form of protest, Epic was removed from Apple products.
With its victory on Friday, Epic still doesn’t have what it desires from Apple.
Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Epic, has blasted Apple’s DMA compliance plans, stating that Apple retains the authority to remove third-party app markets from its devices in some situations. Furthermore, Fortnite is still not available in the US App Store.
Apple, for its part, has informed investors that iPhone sales this quarter will be billions of dollars lower than Wall Street had predicted, even as it struggles to maintain its App Store business model.
Apple’s developer accounts, which are often a small but necessary administrative step for developers before selling apps on Apple devices, were at the center of the most recent spat between Apple and Epic.
Two days after preventing the firm from opening its own online marketplace for iPhones and iPads in Europe, Apple on Friday restored Epic Games’ developer account.
The game company announced that it will proceed with its intentions to reintroduce Fortnite and the Epic Games Store to iOS users on the continent.
“This sends a strong signal to developers that the European Commission will act swiftly to enforce the Digital Markets Act and hold gatekeepers accountable,” said Epic Games.
Earlier this week, Apple announced that it had canceled Epic’s account due to uncertainty over the company’s intention to adhere to the new guidelines Apple had established in order to comply with the DMA.
“Following conversations with Epic, they have committed to follow the rules, including our DMA policies. As a result, Epic Sweden AB has been permitted to re-sign the developer agreement and accepted into the Apple Developer Program,” Apple said.