The European Commission has requested Apple clarify its stance on Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, launching its own mobile game store for iPhones in Europe. This move follows ongoing debate over technology standards within the European jurisdiction, as reported by Reuters, citing a statement from the European antitrust regulator.
“We have asked Apple for further clarification on this issue in line with DMA (Digital Market Act). We will also check whether Apple’s actions raise doubts about its compliance with the DMA (Digital Market Act) and P2B (Platform to Business Regulation), considering the connections between its developer program membership, App Store, and its VLOP (Very Large Online Platform) status,” a representative of the European Commission stated.
Upon announcing its new App Store policy, Apple has temporarily unlocked Epic Games Sweden AB’s developer account – a subsidiary of the gaming publisher. Despite Epic Games’ intentions to establish its own iPhone mobile game store and reintroduce Fortnite, Apple reinstated the blockage of the developer’s account deeming it as ‘untrustworthy.’ Epic Games argued, suggesting Apple’s move was a tactic to eliminate one of its largest potential competitors, promising a continued fight for fair competition.
