Apple has a great social standing and it provides its customers with the best quality products that can be made available. It has some rules that often do not sit well with app developers and other apps too. Like, for instance, Apple charges a 30% fee from all app developers who want to use the App Store for their apps. Recently, Epic Games got into a serious feud with Apple when they introduced a direct-payment method for in-app purchases. This was a clear violation of Apple’s guidelines, and Apple took a drastic step to make sure that Epic Games learns its lesson. The company removed Epic’s most famous video game Fortnite from its App Store with a condition that if Epic removes the direct payment method within 2 weeks, only then Fortnite will find a way back on the App Store.
Following Apple, Google also removed Fortnite from the Play Store.
Now Epic has filed a lawsuit against both Apple and Google, and its main question is that why does Apple allows some apps and developers leverage while it always portrays its image as a fair and highly justified company whose policies are written in stone and are perfectly error-free? While Apple demands 30% of Epic’s revenue, why does it give discounts to Netflix and Amazon?
Also, Apple gives special discounts to Facebook as well, while Facebook mints money through ads, Apple does not take its cut from the revenue generated by Facebook. Some other bigger brands also get away without paying their 30% to Apple.
As explained by some developers at iA, Apple gives discounts to the apps that it needs and cannot do without, like without Instagram, iPhone will be incomplete. Therefore, despite often citing Facebook as a beast that violates the public’s data and privacy, Apple still does not go farther to pick fights with Facebook. And Facebook also does the same. So, both work in a perfect symbiotic relationship.
Epic Games is a huge name too, and the questions it has raised through its feud are quite valid.
The CEO of Apple often tries to portray that his company is the most benevolent amongst all, and recently Apple even published a report citing how much freedom of expression and speech it allows its users while maintaining their privacy all safe and secure.
Whenever the company is criticized for getting most of its products created in China, Apple quickly starts issuing reports about how many chances of jobs has the company created for US citizens and app developers so far. Recently also, when Apple is going through a bitter time and criticism because of its issues with Epic, the company issued a ‘happy’ statement about how the iOS app economy created 300,000 new US jobs for app developers during the coronavirus pandemic.
It just feels like Apple is quick to whitewash all its darker deeds behind a mask of statements like ‘we treat all developers equally.’ It just shows that like every other tech giant, Apple is opportunistic too, despite what it usually portrays through different statements.
There is no doubt that the company provides excellent security for apps, customers, and app developers in its App Store. But Apple should now stop behaving the ‘mighty, all benevolent’ character and should try to reassess its charging policies for the benefit of the developers. It should also give better explanations for favoring one app over the other and should try to treat everyone equally. It should also work on bringing better opportunities for the app developers and the customers also.
Read next: Apple Reminds Users About Being The Ultimate Privacy Protector In New Over Sharing Ad
Following Apple, Google also removed Fortnite from the Play Store.
Now Epic has filed a lawsuit against both Apple and Google, and its main question is that why does Apple allows some apps and developers leverage while it always portrays its image as a fair and highly justified company whose policies are written in stone and are perfectly error-free? While Apple demands 30% of Epic’s revenue, why does it give discounts to Netflix and Amazon?
Also, Apple gives special discounts to Facebook as well, while Facebook mints money through ads, Apple does not take its cut from the revenue generated by Facebook. Some other bigger brands also get away without paying their 30% to Apple.
As explained by some developers at iA, Apple gives discounts to the apps that it needs and cannot do without, like without Instagram, iPhone will be incomplete. Therefore, despite often citing Facebook as a beast that violates the public’s data and privacy, Apple still does not go farther to pick fights with Facebook. And Facebook also does the same. So, both work in a perfect symbiotic relationship.
Epic Games is a huge name too, and the questions it has raised through its feud are quite valid.
The CEO of Apple often tries to portray that his company is the most benevolent amongst all, and recently Apple even published a report citing how much freedom of expression and speech it allows its users while maintaining their privacy all safe and secure.
Whenever the company is criticized for getting most of its products created in China, Apple quickly starts issuing reports about how many chances of jobs has the company created for US citizens and app developers so far. Recently also, when Apple is going through a bitter time and criticism because of its issues with Epic, the company issued a ‘happy’ statement about how the iOS app economy created 300,000 new US jobs for app developers during the coronavirus pandemic.
It just feels like Apple is quick to whitewash all its darker deeds behind a mask of statements like ‘we treat all developers equally.’ It just shows that like every other tech giant, Apple is opportunistic too, despite what it usually portrays through different statements.
There is no doubt that the company provides excellent security for apps, customers, and app developers in its App Store. But Apple should now stop behaving the ‘mighty, all benevolent’ character and should try to reassess its charging policies for the benefit of the developers. It should also give better explanations for favoring one app over the other and should try to treat everyone equally. It should also work on bringing better opportunities for the app developers and the customers also.
Read next: Apple Reminds Users About Being The Ultimate Privacy Protector In New Over Sharing Ad
