Fortnite, the widely popular game that was removed from Apple and Google app stores four years ago due to a business dispute, is making a limited return to mobile devices. Starting Friday, players in the European Union can download Fortnite from various non-Apple mini app stores, a shift enabled by a new European law aimed at promoting alternatives to major tech companies.
For Android users worldwide, Fortnite is accessible through a new alternative app store, although this method is quite complex. Epic Games, the game’s developer, provides guidance for users on iPhones in the E.U. and Android devices globally on how to download the game.
This partial re-entry of Fortnite into mobile gaming presents a challenge to the restrictions enforced by Apple and Google and hints at significant, albeit chaotic, changes in the smartphone app landscape that has persisted for the last 15 years.
This mobile app revolution raises important questions about how to rectify illegal corporate behavior and whether the solutions being proposed are more beneficial or detrimental to consumers.
Many people may feel that apps are functioning well, but some believe it’s time to shake up the existing mobile app framework. Apple and Google have long held substantial control over app marketplaces, resulting in increased prices, restrictions on innovative ideas, and forcing app developers into less ethical practices to generate revenue.
Executives from Texas Monthly expressed frustration over the time and costs associated with waiting for Apple and Google to approve updates to their apps. This delay hinders the ability to make swift improvements to their content.
Recently, Patreon revealed that users of its iPhone app would soon face a 30 percent increase in payment costs, or artists would receive 30 percent less, due to Apple’s requirement that all digital payments go through its payment system, which extracts a 30 percent commission.
While Apple claims its app store offers valuable services for both developers and iPhone users, many app companies are satisfied with the current system and do not seek change. However, dissenting voices against Apple and Google’s dominance are increasingly amplified by recent court decisions and regulatory measures.
Epic Games has emerged as a prominent critic of the current app landscape and has been actively involved in advocating for substantial reforms. A jury previously ruled in favor of Epic regarding Google’s violation of monopoly laws in its Google Play store, and a judge will soon determine required changes for Google.
Although Epic faced setbacks in its case against Apple, the court is currently deliberating on how to amend what it determined were Apple’s anti-competitive practices regarding digital purchases within apps.
Epic’s proposed changes could allow users to access cheaper subscription options or better rewards for purchases made through Epic’s own app store instead of Google’s. Additionally, if Epic’s proposals are approved, users could have more freedom in how they download Android apps, choosing between various app stores.
While Google argues that Epic’s changes could compromise consumer privacy and security, some progress is already being made under the new E.U. legislation, marking a shift against the power of Big Tech.
Although the proposed changes may appear confusing or unhelpful, they hold the potential to enhance innovation, according to Epic’s CEO Tim Sweeney, who emphasizes that the current system stifles possibility and progress without many users even realizing it.