Apple's Feud With Epic Games Gets Uglier: iPhone Maker Terminates Latter's Developer Account From App Store

Apple has escalated its feud with Epic Games by blocking the Fortnite video game maker from launching its own online marketplace on iPhones and iPads in Europe. Apple and Epic Games have been battling each other legally since 2020 when the gaming firm alleged that Apple's up to 30 per cent commissions on in-app payments on its iPhone Operating System devices violates US antitrust rules. Attempts by Epic Games in the direction of paving the way for rival marketplaces on Apple's devices are a major threat to the iPhone maker's profits and authority. Epic Games was building a way to take advantage of the DMA, but Apple blocked those efforts on Wednesday by citing the former's past breaches of contract in the long-running legal dispute. The iPhone maker said, "In light of Epic's past and ongoing behaviour, Apple chose to exercise that right" to terminate Epic Games' account.