Apple Approves Epic Games Store App For iOS (arstechnica.com) 48
After two rejections, Apple has approved the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union. "This paves the way for Epic CEO Tim Sweeney to realize his long-stated goal of launching an alternative game store on Apple's closed platform -- at least in Europe," reports Ars Technica. From the report: Apple announced plans to allow third-party app stores on iOS in the region earlier this year, complying with the letter of the law (though some say not the spirit) as required by the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which was enacted in hopes of making platforms more open and competitive. Apple's new policies allow for alternative app marketplaces but with some big caveats regarding the deal that app developers agree to.
The change followed years of contentious PR campaigns and court battles around the world between Epic and Apple, with Sweeney proclaiming that Apple's app approval processes are anti-competitive and that its 30 percent cut of app revenues is unfair. Even after the shift, Apple is said to have rejected the Epic Games Store app twice. The rejections were over specific rules about the copy and shape of buttons within the app, though not about its primary function. [...] Apple went ahead and approved the app despite the disagreement over the copy and button designs. However, AppleInsider reported that Apple will still require Epic to change the copy and buttons later.
The change followed years of contentious PR campaigns and court battles around the world between Epic and Apple, with Sweeney proclaiming that Apple's app approval processes are anti-competitive and that its 30 percent cut of app revenues is unfair. Even after the shift, Apple is said to have rejected the Epic Games Store app twice. The rejections were over specific rules about the copy and shape of buttons within the app, though not about its primary function. [...] Apple went ahead and approved the app despite the disagreement over the copy and button designs. However, AppleInsider reported that Apple will still require Epic to change the copy and buttons later.
Re: About time! (Score:2)
Thank you, Europe (Score:5, Interesting)
Re: Thank you, Europe (Score:2)
Alternatively (Score:2)
When is Xbox going to be forced to let the PlayStation store be available on their console?
How is this any different?
an phone / tablet is an computer not an games cons (Score:1)
an phone / tablet is an computer not an games console.
Also apples rules in the store went to far an the EU smacked them down.
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an phone / tablet is an computer not an games console.
Really? What is the difference?
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an phone / tablet is an computer not an games console.
Really? What is the difference?
Which difference? There are a lot.
You use a game console at home, where there's very little barrier to having multiple consoles from multiple manufacturers other than the cost. You use a phone on the go, where having more than one phone is a huge pain in the a**.
Game consoles get replaced once every five years. Phones get replaced every two years. The cost of having more than one is less of a barrier with game consoles than with phones.
Your phone requires cellular service, which means paying extra money
Re: an phone / tablet is an computer not an games (Score:1)
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The fact that there are differences does not justify the point you're making.
I'm not trying to make a point. I was just answering the question.
The fact that a vendor may attempt to lock a device into a specific set of uses does not get away from the fact that pretty much all of the devices we're talking about here are in fact general purpose computers.
Not really. The computer in my car is also a general-purpose computer by most standards, ignoring the fact that it has extra hardware to talk to the car. One could make the same argument there. Or the computer in my recently purchased microwave oven. It probably has a 64-bit ARM core in it, and it has a display and a numeric keypad. Where do you draw the line? Some possibilities:
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An iPhone does a few things that a computer doesn't do usefully, such as sending and receiving SMS messages and using the phone as a camera. Its small-screen form factor also limits its ability to be used for some high-end tasks, such as running Final Cut Pro.
Maybe not Final Cut Pro; but definitely iMovie:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/... [apple.com]
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You use a game console at home
So none of your arguments apply to Nintendo as a Switch is portable. Also Sony's PSP. The Steam Deck. Asus ROG Ally. . .
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You use a game console at home
So none of your arguments apply to Nintendo as a Switch is portable. Also Sony's PSP. The Steam Deck. Asus ROG Ally. . .
They're "portable", but they're not remotely "cell phone portable". Most people carry around a phone all day. Most people over the age of 12 don't carry around a giant Nintendo Switch, PSP, or Steam Deck all day just in case they want to play a game. The pocket space problem is a real limitation.
To put things in context, a single PSP is almost the size of three iPhone 15 Max phones stacked on top of each other with a Roku remote taped to the end of the stack. This is not small by any means.
And this is t
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They're "portable", but they're not remotely "cell phone portable". Most people carry around a phone all day. Most people over the age of 12 don't carry around a giant Nintendo Switch, PSP, or Steam Deck all day just in case they want to play a game. The pocket space problem is a real limitation.
So now you're moving the goal post by saying portable game consoles are not as portable as in your definition. No true Scotsman, eh?
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They're "portable", but they're not remotely "cell phone portable". Most people carry around a phone all day. Most people over the age of 12 don't carry around a giant Nintendo Switch, PSP, or Steam Deck all day just in case they want to play a game. The pocket space problem is a real limitation.
So now you're moving the goal post by saying portable game consoles are not as portable as in your definition. No true Scotsman, eh?
Nope. The goalpost was clearly set in the original post. "You use a phone on the go." That means you carry it with you all the time and use it in random places. That's different from merely saying that something is portable, meaning it is battery powered and moderately practical to use in places other than your house.
Most people just don't carry portable game consoles around with them all day and play them at random times and in random places. They might carry them to a friend's house to play games, ca
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You're wrong on every point, which is kind of my point.
> Which difference? There are a lot.
Other than (maybe) form factor, there are none.
> You use a game console at home, where there's very little barrier to having multiple consoles from multiple manufacturers other than the cost. You use a phone on the go, where having more than one phone is a huge pain in the a**.
I use a phone at home. I have several devices that act as phones. I often carry at least 2 of them with me.
> Game consoles get repla
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You're wrong on every point, which is kind of my point.
> Which difference? There are a lot.
Other than (maybe) form factor, there are none.
Other than form factor and speed, there's no meaningful difference between a Prius and a RAV4. When form factor changes how you use a device, it ceases to be a minor difference.
> You use a game console at home, where there's very little barrier to having multiple consoles from multiple manufacturers other than the cost. You use a phone on the go, where having more than one phone is a huge pain in the a**.
I use a phone at home. I have several devices that act as phones. I often carry at least 2 of them with me.
Whoop de doo. You and a single-digit percentage of the population. I'm guessing you only pay for one of them, though, because the other is a work phone. Either way, it's almost certainly safe to say that you're doing it because you have to, not because you really want to. It's one extra thing to keep charged, one extra thing to
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I'm genuinely curious, why shouldn't a store for PS titles be available on the Xbox? For that matter, why shouldn't all those humble bundles and similar be available on every platform where I may play games?
Re:Alternatively (Score:4, Insightful)
Same.
It's a disingenuous argument, but it's actually a valid one. Game consoles ARE computers, and normal software installation being blocked on them is an artificial limitation that needs to be removed.
A well-written law should cover them as well as iDevices.
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But even if they weren't, why should an application that is written for the specific device, with the necessary functionality to deploy its own games, not be available for the user to install?
Limiting my choices to something an Apple, Xbox, PS or whatever curates appears to tell me that my way or my tastes of using my hardware is somehow flawed.
How about the peddlers of hardware stop insulting me like that?
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Well, I guess I have to give an example.
Let's imagine you've just bought a fondle-slab. Let's imagine it has an OS. Let's also imagine that the fondle-slab and the OS are produced by the same vendor, A and that A has deployed a software distribution software, calling it "play store" or somesuch, on the fondle-slab.
Now, let's imagine there are other sources of games or software (playstores, C and D for example) that sell multi-platform items from multiple vendors. Imagine now that A doesn't allow C and D to
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Nope. I've never seen an iDevice advertised as being able to do anything. Only things that Apple specifically allow. There's an app for that, --- in the app store. No where did they say you get a choice to run your own software. No where does Apple advertise their devices running non-Apple sanctioned software.
I would challenge you to write a law that you think would apply only to iDevices. I'd wager on scrutiny it would either not apply to iDevices, accidentally apply to others, or be deemed unworkable due
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As for your other comment, worst attempt I've seen lately at a strawman. Never said only apply to iDevices, just that it wouldn't include limited functional devices like consoles. So it would include iDevices, Windows, macOS, Android, etc... you know, all devices that are advertised as multifunctional devices.
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Your notion that this is somehow about "false marketing" fundamentally misreads the DMA. Apple falls under it because they offer 'core services' like an app store and have an influential, entrenched market position. There's no loophole for Apple to exploit by simply not referring to their devices as general purpose computers.
At face value it seems that the only reason that this wouldn't apply to the 'core service' of the PlayStation store on PlayStation is that the EU has crafted the law (or made an arb
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It's a disingenuous argument, but it's actually a valid one. Game consoles ARE computers, and normal software installation being blocked on them is an artificial limitation that needs to be removed.
Your comment would be very valid for a device that is designed for general purpose rather than specific purpose for integration in a product line from a specific vendor. I.e. if I develop a hardware widget for my software and sell it below cost, why should I be forced to let anyone else run software on it.
On the other hand if I develop a hardware widget for someone else's software, then it absolutely should be open to anyone else who comes along.
Where do you draw the line at computer? My car's infotainment
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"My car's infotainment system?"
Absolutely a computer. Locked down cars are a serious problem that needs to be fixed. AND NOT JUST THE INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM.
"My wireless webcam runs linux, does that count as a computer?"
Obviously, yes. If it's running Linux, it's obviously a computer. If you want to turn your webcam into a pi-hole, you should be able to, assuming it's sufficiently powerful.
"what you want would completely upend 50 years of hardware economics and would almost certainly lead to some very expe
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I'd hope soon actually. Why shouldn't a console you own be something you can put software you choose on? I brought it, if I want to sideload shit I should be able to.
Re: Alternatively (Score:1)
Spotify has not filed a complaint about game consoles. That is the difference.
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Re: OS X (Score:1)
Fortnite and...? (Score:2, Interesting)
Is Epic going to feature anything on this iOS app store that isn't Fortnite or shovelware?
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Presumably it'll have the same high quality as the Epic Games store on PC.
So...
No.
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They have a few actual titles on PC, including some exclusives. And yes also some crap but point is that Epic has (or at least had) a few anchor titles to attract some eyeballs at least.
On mobile? What do they even have?
flashback to region locks (Score:1)
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