Tech

Why Apple is appealing in lawsuit against Epic Games, despite “resounding victory”

Apple has appealed the court ruling in the case between it and Epic Games (which also appealed). The Cupertino company is playing the watch on the introduction of alternative payment methods on its App Store.

A resounding victory », Apple claimed after the court decision pronounced within the framework of the lawsuit which opposes it to Epic Games. It must be said that 9 of the 10 requests from Epic Games were rejected. Still, Apple is still appealing, The Verge reported in an October 9 article. The reason ? The opening of the App Store to alternative payment methods, the only victory for Epic Games (which also appealed).

Everything suggests that Apple is trying to play the watch despite a judgment which, on paper, is very largely favorable to it. Except that with the first verdict pronounced, the App Store would be likely to welcome alternative means of payment from December. Apple seeks to push the deadline as far as possible, by suspending the first decisions until the various appeals are resolved. A process that could last… years.

While waiting for the court to validate or reject this appeal request, Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, does not forget to laugh on Twitter:

Apple wants to save time with alternative payment methods

To convince the court, Apple obviously brandishes the argument of user protection. In the eyes of the multinational, alternative means of payment, in particular available in the form of buttons pointing to external links, present certain risks. He explains : ” If Apple can examine the links provided in the version of the application sent for certification, nothing can prevent a developer from modifying the destination of these links or the content of the pages. In addition, Apple cannot determine whether the user who clicked on one of these links has indeed received the content for which he has paid.

Apple already receives several hundred thousand user requests every day, and allowing alternative payment methods will increase them », Adds the firm, for whom the alternative means of payment represent above all a shortfall (exit the commission charged on each transaction). Apple is asking the courts for time to better assess the risks, while studying the legal, technological and economic aspects of what it describes as an upheaval in its ecosystem.

Fortnite // Source: Epic Games

For its part, Epic Games is appealing to prove that Apple has a monopoly on the application distribution market and lower the fine it must pay (for having imposed a payment system in Fortnite). Meanwhile, iOS users still cannot (re) play Fortnite... They can take their troubles patiently: the very popular Battle Royale is not about to return to the App Store.

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