Epic Games goes after Apple in the UK (again)
Epic Games doesn't seem to be slacking off in the never-ending war it's been waging against Apple since last August, and has just launched another case against the mobile giant, this time in the UK (again).
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Just last month, Epic Games tried to use the UK court system to force Apple into changing its policies by targeting Apple Ltd, a British-based subdivision. The ruling to that case back in February stopped Epic from pursuing it any further on British turf, declaring the issue outside of the jurisdiction of UK courts.
Now, Epic is back in the UK courtroom again for a second try, citing direct violations against UK consumer rights and developers' freedom to get the authorities to reconsider. Epic made a blog post today announcing their complaint to the United Kingdom Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which may pay attention to it this time, as they are already investigating anti-trust violation allegations against Apple.
The post elaborates how Apple's app store policy violates the UK Competition Act of 1998, with the company actively practicing monopoly by forcing all in-app purchases or payments to be made through Apple's own system so that it can collect its 30% (or 15%, if a developer qualifies for Apple's fee reduction beginning this January).
By kneecapping the competition and exerting its monopoly power over app distribution and payments, Apple strips UK consumers of the right to choose how and where they get their apps, while locking developers into a single marketplace that lets Apple charge any commission rate they choose. These harmful practices lead to artificially inflated costs for consumers, and stifle innovation among developers, many of whom are unable to compete in a digital ecosystem that is rigged against them. —Tim Sweeney, CEO
This is only another one of Epic's continuous global efforts against Apple's anti-competitive behavior. So far, Epic has campaigned in Europe and Australia besides the main ongoing war on American home turf. We're all waiting to see what happens when the long-awaited Epic vs. Apple case goes to trial in the U.S. on May 3rd.
Epic Games emphasizes that rather than seeking monetary damages, it is calling for a reform in Apple's practices to allow developers and consumers greater freedom and equality.
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