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Business Mayor
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Mayor
Apple blocks Fortnite's return to the U.S. App Store and Epic Games Store in EU, despite ruling (updated)
Epic Games Apple has blocked Epic's submission of Fortnite to the U.S. Apple App Store and the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union. 'Now, sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it,' Epic Games said in a tweet. Epic Games had hoped that it would be able to return its game, which has been off iOS since Epic sued Apple for antitrust violations in 2021. A new law in the EU is expected to force Apple to comply at some point, and a recent ruling in the U.S. federal antitrust lawsuit by Epic was expected to force Apple's hand. [Updated: 11:16 p.m. Pacific time on 5/16/25]. Epic Games said it filed a motion to enforce the judge's injunction against Apple. Epic Games aid, 'Yesterday afternoon, Apple broke its week-long silence on the status of our app review with a letter saying they will not act on the Fortnite app submission until the Ninth Circuit Court rules on the partial stay. We believe this violates the Court's Injunction and we have filed a second Motion to Enforce Injunction with the US District Court for the Northern District of California.' The company added, 'We've been transparent with Apple about our intentions while they've used app review and notarization as a pretext to circumvent the Court's injunction and the EU Digital Markets Act. Apple's 'solution' required us to submit two versions of Fortnite, in violation of their guideline that developers shouldn't submit multiple versions of the same app. That's not the standard Apple holds other developers to and it's blocking us from releasing our update in the EU and US. Apple is again retaliating against Epic for challenging the legality of their anticompetitive behavior and we will fight on.' Read More Cities: Skylines 2: release date, trailers, gameplay, and more In the new Motion, Epic said that on May 1, 2025, Epic notified Apple of its intent to avail itself of the injunction and the new guidelines. Specifically, Epic notified Apple that Epic would use the same developer account that it uses to distribute the Epic Games Store and Fortnite in the European Union to submit Fortnite for App Review in the U.S. Epic invited Apple to provide it with further direction if Apple preferred that Epic submit Fortnite for review another way (e.g., through a different developer account). On May 2, 2025, Apple—through its outside counsel— stated that if Epic wanted to submit using the process Epic had outlined, it should do so.' Epic added, 'Although Apple's contracts may permit it to reject an app for lawful reasons, the Injunction provides that Apple may no longer reject an app—including Fortnite—because its developer chooses to include an external purchase link. Likewise, if the Injunction is to have any teeth, Apple cannot reject an app on the ground that its developer has sought to enforce the Injunction's prohibitions.' And Epic said, 'The only explanation for Apple's decision to refuse to review Epic's Fortnite submission is that Apple does not want Epic to take advantage of the rights it worked so hard to obtain and instead wishes to retaliate for these efforts.' Nothing about Epic's stipulation with Apple provides Apple with any greater discretion to reject a submission from Epic or to treat Epic's submissions any differently than Apple may treat submissions from any other developer, Epic said. And importantly, Apple's contractual rights under the DPLA do not trump the Injunction; to the contrary, the whole point of the Injunction is to curb those rights, Epic said. Read More Best Nintendo Switch deals: consoles, games, and accessories Epic added, 'This court's Injunction and contempt order are clear. Apple may not reject apps because their developers wish to steer consumers to alternative payment options through links, buttons and other calls to action. Nor can Apple reject apps because their developers have attempted to enforce that right. In its Contempt Order, this Court emphasized that the purpose of the Injunction is to terminate Apple's attempts to interfere with competition and maintain an anticompetitive revenue stream. Apple's functional rejection of Fortnite—which has a purchase link side by side with IAP, consistent with the current Guidelines—is simply more interference with competition.' We await further explanation for why Apple is still blocking Fortnite's return. We have asked Apple for comment, but it has not offered anything yet. In its legal filings with Epic, Apple said, 'The parties' recent disputes over the District Court's injunction do not diminish Apple's bases and legal right to have terminated Epic Games' DPLA. To the contrary, the District Court's recent Order reiterated Epic Games' admission 'that it breached the DPLA and [had previously] conceded that Apple would be entitled to relief if the Court found that the DPLA was enforceable and did not violate antitrust laws or public policy.'' Apple said the district court again noted that 'Apple's breach of contract claim is also premised on violations of DPLA provisions independent of the anti-steering provisions. Apple removed Fortnite from the U.S. storefront of the App Store and terminated Epic Games' developer account because of that breach.'
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Why did Apple globally ban Fortnite from App Store
Image via: Epic Games Stunned fans throughout the world were informed by Epic Games that Fortnite would not only be available in the United States but also elsewhere around the world on iOS. The problem lies in the Apple App Review process having rejected Epic's newest submission for Fortnite, thereby preventing the long-awaited return of the game onto the App Store and Epic Games Store for iOS in the EU. Though Epic has tried several times to get Fortnite reinstated - even going as far as resubmitting a newer build just this week - Apple has not given its approval to any version, leaving Fortnite's presence in mobile devices i.e. all iOS devices, abruptly halted throughout the world. A history of conflict rekindled The year is 2025, and the idea of alternative app stores, thanks to the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA), is far from being a reality, and the relationship between the two companies still remains bitter. Apple's recent rejection of the chosen build for Fortnite reeks of a fresh stab, given that the wounds caused by victorious legal battles of yesteryear must surely still be fresh. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Thousands Are Saving Money Using This Wall Plug elecTrick - Save upto 80% on Power Bill Click Here Undo A Global Impact What is unusual about this latest standoff is its global fallout. The fact that punishment was handed to Fortnite and forced to be removed from the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union, where alternative app stores were supposed to provide a workaround, is evidence that Apple is still a gatekeeper despite the new regulatory regimes. Without Apple's rejection, though, Fortnite could have returned to the U.S., where the App Store is still king; however, Apple has effectively blocked the return of Fortnite-namely in territories in which Epic expected to gain through the DMA reforms. For the players, that becomes a missed chance to enjoy the Star Wars-themed two-season content of 'Galactic Battle,' including characters like Emperor Palpatine and exclusive lightsaber mechanics. What's next for Epic and players? Epic CEO Tim Sweeney took it to social media, claiming Apple was deliberately stalling with no clear reason given. However, Apple was not made to respond and did offer no sort of explanation. Such lack of transparency and openness continue to feed criticisms against Apple's closed ecosystem and tight control of app distribution. When is Fortnite Mobile Coming Back on IOS? For now, the future of Fortnite on iOS is very much a big question mark. As another version of Epic and Apple is unfolding, mobile gamers are caught in the crossfire, looking and hoping for their favorite battle royale to make a triumphant return. One thing is undeniable, there is still a lot to fight between Apple and Epic. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
The Guardian
29-04-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Can US monopoly laws rein in Silicon Valley?
The European Union fined Apple and Meta hundreds of millions of dollars last week. My colleague Jennifer Rankin reports: The European Commission has fined Apple €500m (£429m) and Meta €200m for breaking rules on fair competition and user choice, in the first penalties issued under one of the EU's landmark internet laws. The fines under the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA), which is intended to ensure fair business practices by tech companies, are likely to provide another flashpoint with Donald Trump's administration, which has fiercely attacked Europe's internet regulation. The Trump administration was indeed quick to rebuke the fines: a national security council spokesperson told Politico that the EU's moves were a 'novel form of economic extortion' that 'will not be tolerated by the United States'. Interesting, too, is that while the penalties are no small amount of money, their impact likely pales in comparison to the scrutiny the tech companies are facing in the US. Though the EU boasts more robust consumer protections when it comes to tech, the cases against these companies on their home turf, where they have enjoyed great latitude in the past, threaten their core corporate structure, which has been key to integrating their products with one another and creating the walled gardens that have earned them hundreds of billions of dollars. Before Donald Trump ascended to the US presidency a second time, I would have predicted that little regulation of tech giants would emerge from his administration and that if there were any authority that would provide a check on Silicon Valley's humongous and still growing influence, it would be Europe. That is not the regulatory landscape we find ourselves in, though. The US Department of Justice is engaged in serious pursuit of nearly every major American tech company for alleged monopolistic conduct. The bureau has filed suits against Apple, Amazon, Meta and Google within the past two years. Meta's trial began two weeks ago and threatens to unwind its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. Most severe – Google faces the consequences of losing two major antitrust cases in quick succession. The US has petitioned a judge to force the nearly $2tn company to divest one of its crown jewels, Chrome, the most popular web browser in the world. The US wields the sharper sword here since the tech giants are headquartered there. Unlike the EU's fines, the antitrust cases in the US threaten the corporate organization of the tech giants, which, if altered, would redirect the profits and change consumers' experiences with their products. These massively profitable businesses have rolled over far larger fines like speed bumps – recall when the US Federal Trade Commission fined Facebook $5bn for privacy violations, which Mark Zuckerberg mentioned during a few subsequent earnings calls and then never again. Facebook continued operating largely as it did before. The EU fined Google fined €4.3bn in 2018 over Android's preference for Google search. Apple was fined €1.8 just last year over music streaming payments. A Chrome-less Google, on the other hand, would make for a less personalized experience of using the internet, I think, perhaps even for my fellow Safari users. YouTube and Google search could draw on less of your history. No other company serves ads in so many corners of the web, so the ads that follow you around would become quite different. Read more here. Goodbye, Skype. I'll never forget you How space exploration can improve life on Earth Ofcom announces new rules for tech firms to keep children safe online What are the Ofcom measures to protect children online – and will they work? Ofcom accused of prioritising interests of tech firms over child safety online Elon Musk's electric vehicle company reported its earnings for the first quarter of 2025 last week. The numbers were among the worst in its history. Via my colleague Johana Bhuiyan, here are the figures: Sign up to TechScape A weekly dive in to how technology is shaping our lives after newsletter promotion Tesla saw a 9% drop in revenue year over year in the first quarter of 2025. The company brought in $19.3bn in revenue, well below Wall Street expectations of $21.45bn. The company reported an earnings per share of 27 cents, also well under investor expectations of 43 cents in earnings per share. Tesla profits also slid 71% to $409m compared with $1.39bn in net income the previous year. The company suffered a 13% drop in vehicle deliveries, making it the company's worst quarter since 2022. Tesla closed the quarter with 336,681 vehicles delivered. The majority of Musk's enormous net worth – he remains the world's richest person despite a nearly $100bn decline in his fortune since the year began – consists of his partial ownership of Tesla. His shares in the company are worth quite a lot less than they were when Trump was inaugurated. During a call with disappointed Wall Street investors after Thursday's earnings figures, Musk said his work to get the US government's 'financial house in order is mostly done'. 'Starting probably next month, May, my time allocation to Doge will drop significantly,' he added. He is scheduled to leave Doge on 30 May, amid a strict 130-day cap on his service as a special government employee. The statement reminds me of the premature 'Mission Accomplished' banner flown by former US president George W Bush soon after the disastrous Iraq war began: a declaration of victory that papers over a tumultuous reality very much still in flux. The success of Musk's cost-cutting has yet to be determined. Four days before the earnings call, a federal judge in the US blocked his team's efforts to shutter a top consumer financial protection agency. We do not yet know how much of his scything of the US federal government will remain in place. Elon Musk to pull back in Doge role starting May amid 71% dip in Tesla profits Elon Musk's xAI accused of pollution over Memphis supercomputer AI images of child sexual abuse getting 'significantly more realistic', says watchdog Meta faces Ghana lawsuits over impact of extreme content on moderators Trump's meme coin soars after he asks top 220 holders to dinner Apple 'aims to source all US iPhones from India', reducing reliance on China US food delivery app DoorDash offers to buy UK rival Deliveroo for $3.6bn What to do if your phone is lost or stolen: practical steps to restore peace of mind
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
EU fines Apple and Meta for breaching fair competition rules
The European Commission has fined Apple €500m (£429m) and Meta €200m for breaking rules on fair competition and user choice, in the first penalties issued under one of the EU's landmark internet laws. The fines under the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA), which is intended to ensure fair business practices by tech companies, are likely to provide another flashpoint with Donald Trump's administration, which has fiercely attacked Europe's internet regulation. The commission fined Apple €500m for restricting app developers from distributing apps outside the company's App Store. It said app developers cannot fully benefit from alternative channels, so consumers cannot discover cheaper offers. The commission ordered the company to remove the restrictions within 60 days or risk penalty fines. Related: EU will not rip up tech rules for trade deal with Trump, senior official says Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, was fined €200m over its 'consent or pay model' introduced in November 2023, which was an attempt to comply with EU data privacy rules. Under this model, EU users of Facebook and Instagram had a choice between consenting to their data being used for advertising, or paying a fee for an ad-free service. The commission said this approach was not compliant with the DMA, arguing that users should be able to get a Facebook or Instagram equivalent to the personalised ad service, but based on less of their data. EU officials said they were still assessing a new version of the free, personalised ads model Meta introduced in November 2024. The fine relates to the noncompliance found by the commission over eight months after the DMA became legally binding in March 2024. The fines fall far short of the 10% of annual global turnover tech companies can be ordered to pay. Meta earned $165bn (£124bn) in 2024, while Apple sold goods and services worth $391bn in its last financial year. EU officials described the 10% figure as a ceiling, rather than a parameter to set fines. In determining the fines, officials took into account the newness of the legislation and the relatively short duration of the offences. The commission also announced on Wednesday that it was closing an investigation into Apple's user-choice obligations under the DMA after 'a constructive dialogue' with the company. Apple has made it possible for EU users to uninstall its Safari web browser, photo app and other programs, and make it easier to choose another default web browser, the commission said. Teresa Ribera, the commission executive vice-president in charge of competition, said Apple and Meta had fallen short of compliance with the DMA 'by implementing measures that reinforce the dependence of business users and consumers on their platforms'. The commission had 'taken firm but balanced enforcement action against both companies, based on clear and predictable rules', she said. 'All companies operating in the EU must follow our laws and respect European values.' EU officials have rejected claims from the Trump administration that tech regulation is being used as a weapon against successful US companies. Meta is expected to appeal to the European court of justice. In a statement, Meta's chief global affairs officer, Joel Kaplan, said the commission was 'attempting to handicap successful American business' while allowing Chinese and European firms to operate under different standards. 'This isn't just about a fine,' he said. 'The commission forcing us to change our business model effectively imposes a multibillion-dollar tariff on Meta while requiring us to offer an inferior service.' Apple has been contacted for comment. The Computer and Communications Industry Association, whose members include Apple and Meta, said the commission's enforcement of the DMA was 'opaque and discretionary, lacking both predictability and proportionality'. However, the European Consumer Organisation praised the decisions as good for consumers. 'Apple and Meta have had ample time to comply with the Digital Markets Act but instead have delayed compliance and tried to twist the rules to their advantage,' said the BEUC director general, Agustín Reyna.
The Guardian
23-04-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
EU fines Apple and Meta for breaching fair competition rules
The European Commission has fined Apple €500m (£429m) and Meta €200m for breaking rules on fair competition and user choice, in the first penalties issued under one of the EU's landmark internet laws. The fines under the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA), which is intended to ensure fair business practices by tech companies, are likely to provide another flashpoint with Donald Trump's administration, which has fiercely attacked Europe's internet regulation. The commission fined Apple €500m for restricting app developers from distributing apps outside the company's App Store. It said app developers cannot fully benefit from alternative channels, so consumers cannot discover cheaper offers. The commission ordered the company to remove the restrictions within 60 days or risk penalty fines. Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, was fined €200m over its 'consent or pay model' introduced in November 2023, which was an attempt to comply with EU data privacy rules. Under this model, EU users of Facebook and Instagram had a choice between consenting to their data being used for advertising, or paying a fee for an ad-free service. The commission said this approach was not compliant with the DMA, arguing that users should be able to get a Facebook or Instagram equivalent to the personalised ad service, but based on less of their data. EU officials said they were still assessing a new version of the free, personalised ads model Meta introduced in November 2024. The fine relates to the noncompliance found by the commission over eight months after the DMA became legally binding in March 2024. The fines fall far short of the 10% of annual global turnover tech companies can be ordered to pay. Meta earned $165bn (£124bn) in 2024, while Apple sold goods and services worth $391bn in its last financial year. EU officials described the 10% figure as a ceiling, rather than a parameter to set fines. In determining the fines, officials took into account the newness of the legislation and the relatively short duration of the offences. The commission also announced on Wednesday that it was closing an investigation into Apple's user-choice obligations under the DMA after 'a constructive dialogue' with the company. Apple has made it possible for EU users to uninstall its Safari web browser, photo app and other programs, and make it easier to choose another default web browser, the commission said. Teresa Ribera, the commission executive vice-president in charge of competition, said Apple and Meta had fallen short of compliance with the DMA 'by implementing measures that reinforce the dependence of business users and consumers on their platforms'. The commission had 'taken firm but balanced enforcement action against both companies, based on clear and predictable rules', she said. 'All companies operating in the EU must follow our laws and respect European values.' EU officials have rejected claims from the Trump administration that tech regulation is being used as a weapon against successful US companies. Meta is expected to appeal to the European court of justice. In a statement, Meta's chief global affairs officer, Joel Kaplan, said the commission was 'attempting to handicap successful American business' while allowing Chinese and European firms to operate under different standards. 'This isn't just about a fine,' he said. 'The commission forcing us to change our business model effectively imposes a multibillion-dollar tariff on Meta while requiring us to offer an inferior service.' Apple has been contacted for comment. The Computer and Communications Industry Association, whose members include Apple and Meta, said the commission's enforcement of the DMA was 'opaque and discretionary, lacking both predictability and proportionality'. However, the European Consumer Organisation praised the decisions as good for consumers. 'Apple and Meta have had ample time to comply with the Digital Markets Act but instead have delayed compliance and tried to twist the rules to their advantage,' said the BEUC director general, Agustín Reyna.
