![]() Now Google wants to recoup the money lost to this version, as those who downloaded the app from the Play Store could continue to use Epic’s billing, even after the app was pulled down.Įpic’s position has been that Apple and Google’s requirement to use their own in-app payment systems exclusively is a monopolistic practice that disadvantages developers. It allowed Fortnite users to choose between Google Play Billing and Epic’s own direct payments system. That switch was flipped on August 13, 2020. This would allow Epic to switch over to its own payment system by applying a server-side configuration change, or “hotfix,” without Google’s knowledge. Epic then submitted a compliant version in April 2020, which Google now describes as “an act of deception designed to provoke litigation.” The new version had concealed Epic’s payment system in an update that was sent to both Apple and Google’s app stores. ![]() This submission was immediately rejected for failing to comply with Google’s policies. Last year, Epic submitted a build of Fortnite to Google Play which used Epic’s own direct payments system and not Google Play Billing. The court’s decision in Apple’s case was that Epic owed financial relief to Apple, to the tune of $6 million.Įpic Games did much of the same thing on Google Play, the counterclaim alleges. This situation is similar to what took place on the App Store, where Epic Games updated its app to workaround App Store policies, and then facilitated payments through its own payments system, in violation of its legal contract with Apple. This Week in Apps offers a way to keep up with this fast-moving industry in one place with the latest from the world of apps, including news, updates, startup fundings, mergers and acquisitions, and suggestions about new apps and games to try, too.ĭo you want This Week in Apps in your inbox every Saturday? Sign up here: /newsletters Top Stories Google responds to the Epic Games antitrust suit, Apple appeals In 2020, investors poured $73 billion in capital into mobile companies - a figure that’s up 27% year-over-year. In 2019, mobile-first companies had a combined $544 billion valuation, 6.5x higher than those without a mobile focus. Currently, the average American watches 3.7 hours of live TV per day, but now spends four hours per day on their mobile devices.Īpps aren’t just a way to pass idle hours - they’re also a big business. ![]() And in the U.S., app usage surged ahead of the time spent watching live TV. Consumers last year also spent 3.5 trillion minutes using apps on Android devices alone. The app industry continues to grow, with a record 218 billion downloads and $143 billion in global consumer spend in 2020. Welcome back to This Week in Apps, the weekly TechCrunch series that recaps the latest in mobile OS news, mobile applications and the overall app economy. ![]()
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