Blog Highlight

Apple’s policy became the standard for the industry as other app stores followed its example.9 The list of developers dissatisfied with Apple’s level of commission fees, coupled with a prohibition to use other payment mechanisms, is long.10 A growing number of apps—including Netflix, Amazon’s Kindle, and Google’s YouTube TV—have simply disabled IAP, making it impossible for consumers to purchase/subscribe within the app.11 A new e-mail app, HEY, tried to disable IAP as well but was kicked out of the App Store for doing so because it did not qualify as reader app.12 And Facebook alleges it is prohibited from even informing users about App Store fees.13 Until recently, Apple could say that its IAP policy was applied equally to all developers. The Gaming Industry—and Epic’s Plans for It The gaming industry is big—perhaps surprisingly so. Since 2016, it has been larger than the music industry and box office combined. The long game is to create a so-called ‘metaverse’, ‘a shared, virtual space that’s persistently online and active, even without people logging in’, complete with its own economy, jobs, shopping and media to consume.23 (Science fiction fans will recognize the concept from Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash or Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One.) With Fortnite, Epic is closer than anyone to such a metaverse: it is already hosting live events including concerts and movies, while the game proceeds in ‘seasons’. After the First Shots, the First Battle Days after Epic submitted its complaint to the US District Court, it filed a motion for a temporary restraining order.26 Apple had not only removed Fortnite from the App Store but also revoked all developer tools, which makes updates to other programs—including the Unreal Engine—impossible.