[ad_1]
Apple Inc. did not have to reinstate immediately Fortnite from Epic Games Inc. on its App Store, a first legal victory for the iPhone maker in an increasingly intense battle over the tolls charged to app makers.
But U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers’ ruling on Monday night was not a total loss for Epic, as it granted the company’s request for a temporary order preventing Apple from limiting the game developer’s ability to provide Unreal Engine, a key graphics technology, for other applications.
The mixed move comes as Apple faces a backlash from some app developers who say its standard App Store fee of 30% and other policies are unfair and designed to benefit people. iPhone manufacturer services. The fight erupted on August 13 when Epic told its customers it would start offering a discounted direct purchase plan for Fortnite items, and Apple subsequently removed the game app, cutting off access. for over a billion iPhone and iPad customers.
Apple made no immediate comment on the decision. Epic did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Rogers said in a hearing earlier today that the case was not “Slam dunk” for both sides and warned that his temporary restraining order would not dictate the final outcome of the litigation. She held a September 28 hearing on Epic’s preliminary injunction request.
Epic violated its agreements with Apple by trying to make money on Fortnite purchases while gaining free access to Apple’s platform, but did not violate any contracts related to Unreal Engine and developer tools, has Rogers said.
By limiting Unreal Engine, “Apple has chosen to act severely,” hurting third-party developers who use Epic’s technology platform, Rogers said.
“Epic Games and Apple are free to argue against each other, but their dispute should not wreak havoc on viewers,” she wrote.
Epic’s Unreal Engine is a suite of software used by developers to create 3D games and other products. Cutting Epic from Apple’s iOS and Mac development tools would mean the games company can no longer distribute Unreal Engine to other developers, Epic said in a legal filing on Sunday. Microsoft Corp., which makes the Xbox, uses technology for games developed for consoles, PCs and mobile devices, and backs Epic in court.
Read more: The judge in Epic Fight backed Apple in a similar antitrust case
Apple said Epic CEO Tim Sweeney is seeking a ‘side’ deal to find an exclusive storefront for Fortnite, a move that Apple executives say would fundamentally change how the App Store works. . Sweeney maintains that he was not asking for special treatment but that Apple is making the same option available to all developers.
Of the 2.2 million apps available on the App Store, the 30% fee is billed at over 350,000. Apple cuts the fee to 15% after a consumer uses a subscription for more than a year .
The case is Epic Games Inc. v. Apple Inc., 20-cv-05640, US District Court, Northern District of California (Oakland).
(Updates with the judge’s reasoning in the sixth paragraph.)
[ad_2]
Source link