A Epic Games was one of the first to react to the European Commission’s decision, to force Apple to follow the same policy in iPadOS that it will have to follow in the iPhone’s operating system, iOS. To the new rules of the Digital Markets Regulation clarify the legal framework for Europe on a topic that has long been controversial in several countries, the target of strong criticism from programmers and one of the reasons for the Epic/Apple disagreement.
To the standards determine that Apple will have to open accessalso on this platform, to applications and stores parallel to your App Storewith everything that means, including the use of billing systems for in-app purchases, other than Apple’s. The obligation had already been clarified in relation to iOS and other Apple platforms. This Tuesday, the EC said that the measure will also have to be applied to the iPadOS operating system.
A Epic Games almost immediately celebrated the decisionremembering that it is Finalize preparations to bring Fortnite and its own app store to iPhone users in the region. Ppromises to do the same for the iPad ecosystem by the end of the year.
Remember that the Epic and Apple fought a legal battle that still affectsafter Epic decided to integrate into the Fortnite app for iOS the possibility of making purchases through its own platform, and not through Apple services, paying the corresponding fee, which at the time was around 30% of each transaction.
A Apple reacted, expelling the game from the store and the case ended up in courtbecoming a media process and a flag for the rest of the industry, which ended up forcing some changes in commission prices and imposed restrictions, without completely opening the market, as will now have to happen in Europe, even with nuances.
The decision to impose the same rules on iPadOS that iOS will have to comply with results from a investigation lasting several monthswhere the EC analyzed whether the iPadOS did or did not have enough market power to be subject to the same rules as other platforms classified as such, due to their determining role in the access of millions of users to certain digital services. Apple already had gatekeeper status with the Safari browser, App Store and iOS.
In the released note, the EC explains that the decision took different aspects into account. Among them, the number of business users of the device and the fact that “end users are locked into iPadOS”. The EC says that Apple “takes advantage of its vast ecosystem to discourage end users from switching to other tablet operating systems”.
All things considered, it was concluded that “the iPadOS constitutes an important gateway for professional users reach end users and that Apple enjoys a deep-rooted and enduring position with regards to iPadOS.” You have six months to make changes.
