Did Epic win? Apple will have to open up iPhone ecosystem and Fortnite could return to iOS, report claims

It looks like Apple will have to follow new European regulations

Did Epic win? Apple will have to open up iPhone ecosystem and Fortnite could return to iOS, report claims

It looks like Apple will have to follow new European regulations

Some time ago, Epic Games began a legal battle against Apple with the goal of bringing the Epic Games Store to iOS and saving the commission that the iPhone company received for each Fortnite transaction made in its ecosystem. Although it can be said that Epic Games lost that battle, it seems that in the end, it won the war. This is because Apple will do exactly what they were looking for.

According to Bloomberg, it will be with the arrival of iOS 17 when Apple will allow iPhone owners to load and install applications outside of the App Store. With this, developers will have another way to offer applications and at the same time save the between 15% to 30% commission that Apple receives for each transaction on the App Store.

But why in the world is Apple allowing this if it fought hard with Epic Games not to do it? Well, although Apple had a temporary victory in the United States, it seems that the case caught the attention of European regulators. That is why on November 1, 2022, the Digital Markets Act of the European Union came into effect, which indicates that companies like Apple have to open their services and platforms to other companies and developers.

Therefore, to comply with this requirement and continue operating in the European Union without problems, Apple will allow users to load external applications onto their phone. This will mean that the company will no longer have complete control over what arrives on its devices, which will open the door for Fortnite to return to the iOS ecosystem.

iOS 17 is expected to arrive at some point in the coming months.

Fortnite can only be played on iOS via Xbox Cloud Gaming
Fortnite can only be played on iOS via Xbox Cloud Gaming

However, it should be noted that Apple found a way to comply with this requirement without incurring too many losses. Reports indicate that they are considering implementing a verification system for which they will charge a fee. With this, they would give users a guarantee that the applications are safe to install on an iPhone and make money for each app that wants to reach their system.

An important point is that it is still unclear whether this system will be implemented worldwide or if we will only see it in Europe, where legislation affecting Apple is in force. That being said, countries like the United States are also considering taking similar measures, so it would be a matter of time before it happens.

It is also worth reminding you that this information has not been confirmed by Apple. Therefore, we recommend taking it with a grain of salt despite coming from a reliable source. We will be keeping an eye on this and will inform you when we know more.

What do you think about this news? Do you think this will result in a benefit for consumers? Let us know in the comments.

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