Microsoft and Meta Support Epic Games in Protesting Apple’s App Store Rules
Meta and Microsoft joined Epic Games to protest against Apple’s failure to adhere to changes in payment procedures in Apple’s App Store. Find out more about the issue and why Apple is facing increased scrutiny.
- Meta and Microsoft are protesting Apple’s app store policies over overcharging on app purchases.
- The companies filed an amicus brief in a California Court to push Apple to allow alternative payment options outside the App Store.
Several tech companies, including MatchGroup, Microsoft, Meta, and X, have joined Epic Games in the protest against Apple’s App Store policies. The joint protest is regarding Apple’s failure not to honor a court’s injunction on app store payments, which have been detrimental to developers and app users.
Each of these companies is a prominent app developer who substantially contributes to Apple’s app store portfolio. According to an amicus brief filed by the companies in a California court, Apple has made it difficult for consumers to access potentially cheaper payment alternatives outside the app store for digital products.
See More: Meta Being Investigated by Federal Authorities for Drug Sales on Platforms
The development gives a big boost to Epic Games’ lawsuit against Apple, which was filed in 2020, which accused the tech giant of breaking antitrust regulations by making customers download apps from its app store and charging developers up to 30% of commission charges for purchases made. Following this, the court issued an injunction that made it compulsory for Apple to allow developers to direct consumers to alternative payment options.
Epic had requested the court to hold Apple in contempt over its new rules and a 27% developer fee, which reportedly nullifies the intended changes while not allowing apps to provide any information about alternative payment options. The U.S. Supreme Court has already declined to hear Apple’s appeal against the injunction. It remains to be seen whether Apple will make any changes to its policies following the increased pressure from its Big Tech counterparts.
What do you think about Apple’s app store policies? Let us know your thoughts on LinkedIn, X, or Facebook. We’d love to hear from you!
Image source: Shutterstock
LATEST NEWS STORIES
