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Apple users are ‘trapped’ in App Store, video game developer Epic says at trial
- Apple accuses the creator of Fortnite of a ‘fundamental assault’ on a business model that has enriched millions of developers
- The trial in California is the first test of a broader backlash Apple is facing from various app developers and global regulators
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Epic Games alleges that Apple’s App Store has left users and developers “trapped” in an anticompetitive marketplace, while the iPhone maker accuses the creator of Fortnite of a “fundamental assault” on a business model that has enriched millions of developers.
The two companies that were once close allies came out swinging on Monday at the start of a trial before a federal judge, who must decide whether Apple is monopolising the marketplace for applications that run on its ubiquitous smartphones and tablets.
The trial in Oakland, California, is the first test of a broader backlash Apple is facing – with billions of dollars in revenue on the line – from global regulators and various app developers who have said its standard App Store fee of 30 per cent and other policies are unfair and self-serving.
The fight with Epic blew up in August when the game developer told customers it would begin offering a discounted direct purchase plan for items in Fortnite, and Apple then removed the game app, cutting off access for more than a billion iPhone and iPad users.
Epic sought to stake out the moral high ground on Monday, saying it is fighting the world’s most valuable company on behalf of all developers.
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