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EU regulators question Apple after it blocks Epic Games app store

  • European Union regulators said they want to question Apple over accusations that it blocked video game company Epic Games from setting up its own app store, in a possible violation of digital rules that took effect in the 27-nation bloc Thursday.
  • The European Commission, the EU’s top antitrust watchdog, said in a statement Thursday that it has “requested further explanations on this from Apple under the DMA.” The rules threaten penalties that could reach into the billions for violations.
  • The commission said it’s “also evaluating whether Apple’s actions raise doubts on their compliance” with other EU regulations including the Digital Services Act, a second set of regulations in the bloc’s digital rulebook that prohibit tech companies from ”arbitrary application” of their terms and conditions.
ad_on_is ,
@ad_on_is@lemmy.world avatar

Karma is a bitch, huh?

EA is also the one behind easyanticheat, refusing to make their games work under Linux, claiming it's difficult.

https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2022/02/tim-sweeney-is-right-about-the-difficulty-of-adapting-fortnites-eac-to-linux/

However, Steam/Valve has made it very easy to ship EAC for Steam games and many games (i.e. Apex Legends) have shown that it just works.

So yeah, excluding Linux users is as shitty as being excluded from Apple.

MonkderZweite ,

What was that bit about being a "gatekeeper"?

paraphrand ,

“They willfully broke our TOS and we don’t trust them to not do it again.”

justJanne ,

Why would they need to comply with Apple's ToS to publish apps outside of the app store?

Kidplayer_666 ,

They would, because if they make an App Store, there is an agreement that they have to sign, basically paying Apple a bunch of fees every time anyone downloads soemthing

paraphrand ,

I think Apple still manages third party app stores too. And there will be rules. If this was totally without rules or terms, then it would just mean it’s wide open to side loading. It wouldn’t mean there was a new alternative App Store system.

justJanne ,

It being totally without rules or terms is exactly what the EU demanded.

paraphrand ,

Interesting. So the stuff about a letter of credit or the App Store download number requirements are both not being enforced?

Sandboxing isn’t a requirement for apps or anything else?

I can just make a side loading App Store and invent new app types and software types for iOS and install them how ever I like as an App Store owner?

I don’t mean they manage them like they are the manager of a physical store. I just mean there are still platform rules, and agreements and TOS. Things alternative app stores need to adhere to.

If I’m mistaken, and alternative app stores can say, install a Springboard replacement, that’s big news I missed.

justJanne ,

The EU demands that alternative app stores or individual users can do exactly that.

Apple disagrees.

That's precisely why this is back in court.

paraphrand ,

I see. I didn’t realize they were demanding that it goes so deep as to demand the ability to replace the system software.

EarMaster ,

That is just not true. The DMA asks for bans on self-favoritism, regulations on data use and data interoperability to bans on discrimination and over all fair conditions. This far from without rules or terms.

robotica ,

This is very clearly anti competitive behavior and should be dealt with ASAP.

isles ,

Let's hope the EU 10x the last fine Apple got to see if they'll get the message.

Eggyhead ,

Next iPhones up another $500.

autotldr Bot ,

This is the best summary I could come up with:

Epic, maker of the popular game Fortnite, has spent years fighting Apple’s exclusive control over the distribution of iPhone apps.

The sweeping set of rules, designed to stop big tech companies from cornering digital markets, have forced Apple to allow people in Europe to download iPhone apps from stores not operated by the U.S. tech giant — a move it’s long resisted.

The European Commission, the EU’s top antitrust watchdog, said in a statement Thursday that it has “requested further explanations on this from Apple under the DMA.” The rules threaten penalties that could reach into the billions for violations.

The commission said it’s “also evaluating whether Apple’s actions raise doubts on their compliance” with other EU regulations including the Digital Services Act, a second set of regulations in the bloc’s digital rulebook that prohibit tech companies from ”arbitrary application” of their terms and conditions.

Epic contended that Apple was brazenly violating the DMA by rejecting an alternative iPhone app store that it planned to set up in Sweden to serve European Union users.

It accused Apple of retaliating for scathing critiques posted by CEO Tim Sweeney, who spearheaded a mostly unsuccessful antitrust case against the iPhone App Store in the U.S.

The original article contains 420 words, the summary contains 202 words. Saved 52%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

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