App Store

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerbeg has said that Apple’s App Store ‘deserves scrutiny’ when asked whether he considered it a monopoly which deserves to face antitrust action by governments.

He declined to answer the question directly, but did strongly hint that he agrees …

Just over a week after Apple terminated the App Store account used by Fortnite, Epic Games is asking a court to stop Apple’s “retaliation.” As reported by Reuters, Epic Games has filed for a preliminary injunction seeking to have Fortnite put back on the App Store.

While we’ve been following the dispute between Apple and Epic Games, Japanese developers have now expressed concerns about the App Store’s business model regarding Apple’s 30% commission and also how the company treats third-party apps. As the gaming market in Japan is extremely strong, the local government may soon take action against the Cupertino-based company.

As more apps are switching to subscription models, Apple is reminding developers that they will have access to new App Store subscription offer codes later this year. These codes will allow developers to offer special deals for app subscriptions, including free or discounted prices for auto-renewable subscriptions.

The coronavirus crisis may have been very bad news for the economy as a whole, but Apple says that the iOS app economy has been thriving, creating 300,000 new US jobs since April 2019 – and the pandemic boosting rather than hurting that progress.

The company says that iOS apps now support 2.1 million US jobs, notably on the East and West coasts, but with significant numbers in the majority of states…

Apple’s 30% cut on in-app purchases continues to spark controversy, with developers iA drawing attention to more anomalies in the company’s implementation of its commission.

The iPhone maker claims that it treats all apps equally, but the reality is that Apple has developed a complex set of rules which allow it to make exceptions to suit its own needs …

Apple has shared today that App Store prices in four countries will rise. The new prices will take effect in the coming days and are due to tax rate increases ranging from 7.5-19% in the affected countries.

Last month we learned Russia found Apple guilty of anti-competitive practices based on how it has handled third-party parental control apps. In a separate, but somewhat related development, a new bill has been submitted to the lower Russian Parliament to cap Apple’s App Store commission at 20% as well as require it to allow third-party app stores.

One of the changes Apple announced for developers at WWDC this year was the ability to challenge App Store Review guidelines. Now, we’re seeing an early instance in which a developer was successfully able to challenge an App Store rule after having their app threatened with rejection.

Amid the ongoing legal battle between Epic Games and Apple, a Fortnite competitor is receiving some beneficial publicity in the App Store. When you open the App Store today, you’ll see an editorial story promoting PUBG Mobile, a popular competing battle royale.

Apple’s 30% cut of all in-app purchases is again making the news. Facebook said that when it tried to help out small businesses who’d lost income due to the coronavirus, Apple refused to waive its 30% commission on sales. Facebook itself takes no cut of the income.

The social network then tried including a ‘transparency notice’ advising users that Apple would get 30% of the amount paid, and Apple blocked that …

The battle between Epic Games and Apple over App Store guidelines will have a detrimental effect on the end user. Epic has confirmed today that it will not be released in the latest Fortnite season, Chapter 2: Season 4, for iOS and macOS gamers.

Apple’s lawyers have been appointed to defend it against the lawsuit filed by Epic Games, from LA-based Gibson Dunn & Crutcher. The firm is an acknowledged leader in antitrust cases.

The firm is the same one that gave Apple its victory in the second Apple versus Samsung patent infringement case …

Amid continued tension between the United States and China, a new report from The Information details how Apple could be impacted by Chinese retaliation. Apple also continues to face pushback from Chinese regulators in regards to the App Store.

This afternoon Facebook has criticized Apple over how it runs its App Store regarding a new events streaming service on the social media platform. Facebook’s comments today suggested that Apple’s 30% App Store commission is hurting small businesses during the pandemic.

One of the issues Apple has seen antitrust scrutiny from governments around the world is the removal of third-party parental control apps. Now a Russian investigation that started last year has concluded that Apple abused its dominant market position by pulling them.

A Facebook iOS gaming app has been forced to launch without access to any games, thanks to an App Store policy which bans streaming gaming services.

Facebook Gaming on Android allows users to play games, as well as watch the gameplay of popular streamers – but iOS users cannot play games …

Microsoft started testing its xCloud gaming platform on iOS in February, but things have been complicated since then. The company announced today that it’s ending tests with xCloud on Apple’s mobile operating system due to strict App Store policies.

After Trump announced that TikTok would be banned from the US unless it was bought by an American company, the White House has now said it wants to ‘clean’ Chinese apps from Apple’s App Store and Google Play.

Apps like WeChat had previously been referenced but not directly threatened by the White House, but the administration is now seeking to block this and other Chinese apps from the US as part of a 5-point plan …