Apple Approves Epic Games' Marketplace App In Europe Amid Ongoing Feud

Apple Inc. AAPL has approved the marketplace app of Epic Games, the creator of “Fortnite,” for iPhones and iPads in Europe. This move comes amid a continuing conflict between the two tech behemoths.

What Happened: Apple’s approval follows accusations from Epic Games that Apple was hindering its attempts to launch a games store on Apple devices.

The tech giant stated that the dispute is centered around the Epic Sweden AB Marketplace and is not related to Epic’s Fortnite app, which Apple has already approved, reported Reuters.

Epic Games had earlier alleged that Apple had twice rejected its application to launch the Epic Games Store due to similarities in the design of certain buttons and labels with those used by Apple’s App Store.

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“Apple’s rejection is arbitrary, obstructive, and in violation of the DMA (Digital Markets Act), and we’ve shared our concerns with the European Commission,” Epic said in a series of posts on X.

Why It Matters: The European Commission, which began an investigation into Apple’s app validation processes and alternative app store sideloading last month, has yet to comment on the issue.

The feud between Apple and Epic Games began in 2020 when Epic claimed that Apple’s practice of charging up to 30% commissions on in-app payments on its iOS devices violated U.S. antitrust laws.

Earlier this year, Apple proposed changes to its App Store policies to comply with specific directives of the DMA, which came into effect in March. These changes permitted alternative app stores on iPhones and allowed users to opt out of using the in-app payment system.

However, Apple introduced a “core technology fee,” which many developers have criticized as exploitative.

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