OfTheCross
Veteran
Epic Games CEO Slams Apple’s Fees as Unfair on Trial’s First Day
“Fortnite” maker Epic Games Inc. deliberately violated Apple Inc.’s app-marketplace rules to show the power that Apple wields and that the tech giant takes an unfair share of money from software developers, the videogame company’s chief executive testified in a trial Monday.
“Apple was making more profit from selling developer apps in the App Store than developers,” said Tim Sweeney, whose company’s global hit “Fortnite” was removed from Apple’s mobile app platform last August.
I'm inclined to say break them up...but here's the argument in favor of Apple:
"
I tend to take the hard line view that unless a company’s dominance is materially bad for the public good that the free market should be left to do its thing. The government shouldn't be regulating speech on digital platforms like Facebook. They shouldn’t be trying to break up retailers like Amazon.
Google and Apple have dominant digital ecosystems not because they are the only game in town, but because of decades of expertly cultivating the customer experience. Microsoft and others have had the chance to compete on the mobile front with all the resources you could ask for, and failed because they didn't create a competitive experience.
Most of the revenue these other companies are complaining about with the 30% cut wouldn't even exist if Google and Apple hadn't pioneered the mobile experience. No one is forcing them to be on those platforms or to have transaction options in their apps.
It's like complaining that a physical retailer is making money by selling your products in its store. They built it, they've got the customers and give your app visibility.
If I were a developer I'd likely think 30% is a steep cut. But I don't think that rises to the level of justifying federal involvement."
“Fortnite” maker Epic Games Inc. deliberately violated Apple Inc.’s app-marketplace rules to show the power that Apple wields and that the tech giant takes an unfair share of money from software developers, the videogame company’s chief executive testified in a trial Monday.
“Apple was making more profit from selling developer apps in the App Store than developers,” said Tim Sweeney, whose company’s global hit “Fortnite” was removed from Apple’s mobile app platform last August.
I'm inclined to say break them up...but here's the argument in favor of Apple:
"
I tend to take the hard line view that unless a company’s dominance is materially bad for the public good that the free market should be left to do its thing. The government shouldn't be regulating speech on digital platforms like Facebook. They shouldn’t be trying to break up retailers like Amazon.
Google and Apple have dominant digital ecosystems not because they are the only game in town, but because of decades of expertly cultivating the customer experience. Microsoft and others have had the chance to compete on the mobile front with all the resources you could ask for, and failed because they didn't create a competitive experience.
Most of the revenue these other companies are complaining about with the 30% cut wouldn't even exist if Google and Apple hadn't pioneered the mobile experience. No one is forcing them to be on those platforms or to have transaction options in their apps.
It's like complaining that a physical retailer is making money by selling your products in its store. They built it, they've got the customers and give your app visibility.
If I were a developer I'd likely think 30% is a steep cut. But I don't think that rises to the level of justifying federal involvement."
