Apple and Epic Games have been at loggerheads for years at this point, as one argues that the other is causing problems in some form or another. Having battled for a long time over apps on iPhone and the App Store, new EU legislation means Apple must allow alternative app marketplaces on iOS — and Epic, as you might expect, jumped at the opportunity.
Not that it's done them any good. As you might expect, Apple feels like it's been given a bloody nose, and seems to be doing everything in its power to make sure that the Fortnite creator struggles as much as possible to get its game store on your best iPhone.
No Epic Game Store for you, iPhone users
1/3 Apple has rejected our Epic Games Store notarization submission twice now, claiming the design and position of Epic’s “Install” button is too similar to Apple's "Get" button and that our "In-app purchases" label is too similar to the App Store's "In-App Purchases" label.July 5, 2024
Apple has allegedly rejected Epic's Game Store submission for the second time now, and the latter firm has some choice words to share on X. According to the thread, Apple has rejected the submission because the buttons that Epic has used in its app are too similar to those that you find in the official Apple App Store.
The buttons in question are the "Install" button and the "in-app purchases" button. Apparently, they're too similar to Apple's "Get" and "In-App Purchases buttons, and Apple wants them changed. Epic reckons the rejection is "arbitrary, obstructive, and in violation of the DMA," and it "shared our concerns with the European Commission." Apple is yet to comment.
Responding to the revelation, EU antitrust expert Florian Mueller told iMore "The DMA does not say that platform owners like Apple must allow just any store. It gives them the right to establish reasonable criteria, and it's up to the platform operators themselves to decide which stores they accept. Let's look at it this way: the DMA does not say that the European Commission approves app stores," adding "the EU is now forced to engage in the micromanagement of digital platforms."
Yikes. Whatever you think of the situation, it looks like the Epic Game Store isn't coming to iPhones any time soon, no matter how much you want to play Fortnite.
