Apple iPhone users used to install the popular Fortnite game on their iOS-powered handsets from the App Store until developer Epic Games wanted to offer players the opportunity to save some money on the purchase of in-game currency. So it offered Fortnite players the option to purchase in-app items from its own app storefront which means that they would avoid having to pay the 15% to 30% “tax” on in-app purchases Apple charges for using its in-app payment platform.
Epic CEO Tim Sweeney says that Fortnite will return to iOS in 2023
This option giving Fortnite users the option to avoid Apple’s in-app processing platform is what got Fortnite kicked out of the App Store
At first, we wondered whether Apple might cave to Epic considering it might not have an opportunity to block the sideloading of Fortnite in Europe. And Apple could say that since it is concerned with its customers installing infected apps through sideloading, it will allow Fortnite to return to the App Store. But does that really sound like Apple to you? Or is it more likely that Apple will continue to maintain its position and hope that it wins the appeal? The latter certainly sounds more like something that Apple would do.
