The Impact of Apple’s Decision to Allow External App Downloads for iOS Users in the EU
In a significant move, Apple has announced that users of iPhones in Europe will soon be able to download external apps from various stores, including the controversial game Fortnite. This decision comes as a response to the introduction of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which will come into effect in the European Union this year.
Despite the dissatisfaction of Apple and companies such as Epic Games, who have clashed with the tech giant for years over app commission fees, Epic Games has announced that Fortnite will return to iOS in 2024 through the upcoming Epic Games store for iOS. Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Epic Games, has labeled Apple’s plans as an “illegal and anti-competitive scheme, rife with new download fees and new payment taxes that Apple does not process.”
Nevertheless, Epic Games intends to continue fighting in courts and with regulators, asserting that Apple is violating the law. However, this battle will not deter them from bringing Fortnite back to iOS.
Fortnite has been officially unavailable on the App Store since 2020 when Epic Games introduced the option of direct payments on iOS and Android to avoid fees imposed by Apple and Google for in-app purchases. The game was removed from both stores, triggering a protracted legal battle in which Google lost, and Apple mostly emerged victorious.
In 2022, Fortnite made an appearance on the Nvidia GeForce Now platform, but it is only accessible through the Safari browser on iOS and not as an official application.
Apple’s decision to allow external app downloads for iOS users in the EU opens up new possibilities for users and app developers. However, the regulations of the Digital Markets Act will impact the operations of mobile platforms and their relationships with app providers.
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The source of the article is from the blog windowsvistamagazine.es