Apple escalates Epic Games feud by blocking Fortnite app in EU
Apple escalated its feud with Epic Games on Wednesday, blocking the Fortnite video-game maker from launching its own online marketplace on iPhones and iPads in Europe. The two companies have been in a legal battle since 2020, when the gaming firm alleged that Apple's practice of charging up to 30% commissions on in-app payments on its iPhone Operating System (iOS) devices violated US antitrust rules. The latest challenge from Epic comes as Apple struggles with concerns about tepid demand for its iPhones in China, and its stock has tumbled 12% so far this year, underperforming its big tech peers in the US Its shares were largely unchanged on Wednesday. Attempts by regulators and com Pet itors such as Epic to pave the way for rival marketplaces on Apple's devices are a major threat to the Silicon Valley heavyweight's profits and control of its own ecosystem. European lawmakers are forcing Apple to allow those third-party marketplaces with a law called ...