| Cult of Mac

Supreme Court refuses to speed up major App Store change

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Is Apple’s deal to make Google Safari’s default search engine anticompetitive?
The Supreme Court won't immediately end Apple's anti-steering policy for third-party app developers.
Photo: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels CC

The U.S. Supreme Court denied a request by Epic Games that would have required Apple to immediately get rid of its “anti-steering” rule for third-party applications — a major change. Instead, the Mac-maker can wait until there’s a final decision by the high court.

This means Apple doesn’t have to change its policy that prevents developers from sending customers from their applications to their websites to pay for subscriptions or services … yet.

Game on! Fortnite is apparently returning to iPhone.

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Epic Games v. Apple gets serious next spring.
Epic Games CEO is optimistic that Fortnite will once again be available for iPhone by the end of the year.
Graphic: Cult of Mac

The CEO of Epic Games teased Fortnite fans that the game will once again be playable on iPhone in 2023.

That would be quite a turnaround, as Apple blocked Epic from the App Store back in 2020 during a lengthy court battle. But new EU regulations likely will allow the game developer to do an end run around the block.

Fortnite returns to iPhone with clever workaround – here’s how to play!

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Fortnite returns to iPhone with clever workaround – here's how to play!
If you've been missing Fortnite, you can play it now on iPhone or iPad.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Fortnite got kicked out of the App Store as part of a legal battle between Apple and Epic Games, but you can play it on your iPhone today for free. Microsoft added it to Xbox Cloud Gaming so the combat game is playable on iOS and iPadOS devices.

Setting up your iPhone or iPad to play Fortnite from the cloud rather than the App Store is different from what you’re used to. Not hard, just different. I’ll walk you through it.

Roblox sides with Apple in App Store battle against Epic Games

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Roblox
Roblox has a good relationship with Apple it wouldn't want to ruin.
Image: Roblox

It would appear that large sections of the developer community are firmly behind Epic Games in its battle for a fairer, more open App Store. But not Roblox, which believes Apple’s strict controls enhance safety and security.

The online game platform, which calls itself a metaverse company and boasts almost 55 million daily active users, said in a legal filing this week that the App Store review process adds “greater legitimacy in the eyes of users.”

US states and Microsoft back Epic Games in fight against the App Store

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Epic Games vs. the App Store
It's getting harder for Apple to defend its rules.
Image: Epic Games

The Department of Justice, 35 U.S. states, and Microsoft have all backed Fortnite developer Epic Games in its fight against the App Store.

Briefs filed by Epic’s supporters with the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit say last year’s ruling — which said the App Store was not a monopoly — is wrong. They also claim Apple is stifling competition.

Fortnite returns to iPhone and iPad, thanks to Nvidia

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Fortnite iOS 14
Who needs the App Store?
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Fortnite is returning to iPhone and iPad — but you won’t find it in the App Store. Starting next week, the hit battle royale game will be available to stream through Nvidia’s GeForce now, complete with brand-new touch controls.

Players will initially have to sign up to join the closed beta, which requires an active GeForce Now membership, designed to help Nvidia test server capacity and performance. But Fortnite eventually will roll out to all GeForce Now subscribers.

The move is somewhat of a kick in the teeth for Apple, which has been determined to block Fortnite on its own platforms since it booted Epic Games, the game’s creator, from the App Store for breaking the rules.

Epic CEO calls for single App Store for all, says ‘Apple must be stopped’

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Epic Games vs. the App Store
Tim Sweeney is not a fan of the App Store.
Photo: Epic Games

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney renewed his attack on the App Store, telling a conference in South Korea that “Apple must be stopped.”

Sweeney, who spoke Tuesday at the Global Conference for Mobile Application Ecosystem Fairness, accused Apple of complying with “oppressive foreign laws.” He also called for “a single store that works with all platforms.”

App Store must add third-party payments by December 9

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App Store must add third-party payments
Apple motion for a delay has been denied.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

A federal judge on Tuesday ordered Apple to add third-party payment options to the App Store by December 9, after denying the company’s motion for a stay in Fortnite developer Epic Games’ case against Cupertino.

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers said the motion, which argued that Apple needed time to implement the changes, was based on “a selective reading of the Court’s findings” and “ignores everything” in favor of an injunction.

‘Duplicitous conduct’ earns Fortnite extended App Store ban

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Epic Games v. Apple is just getting started
If you thought the war between Apple and epic Games was over, think again.
Graphic: Epic Games/Cult of Mac

The first phase of the legal war between Apple and Epic Games is over, and a Federal court agreed with the game developer in some of the major points in their lawsuit. But Apple refuses to reinstate Fortnite and other Epic titles to its App Store during the appeals process.

The iPhone maker says this is the result of “Epic’s duplicitous conduct” leading to the lawsuit.

Epic Games pays $6 million owed to Apple, asks for its dev account back

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Epic Games vs. Apple
That's a lot of Benjamins.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Epic Games on Monday confirmed it has paid the $6 million it owed to Apple in royalties just days after it was ordered by the court. The fee covers Apple’s cut for in-game revenues collected between August 2020 and October 2020 when Epic allowed Fortnite players on iPhone and iPad to make direct purchases.

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney also said that the company has asked Apple to restore its developer account.