Apple lawsuit: Microsoft chooses to appeal to Epic Games

The ongoing dispute with gaming company Epic Games and iPhone manufacturer Apple is now in the next phase: significant partners like Microsoft have spoken about their displeasure with the Apple App Store guidelines in an appeal. Some US states have also joined Epic Games in the dispute. The battle between Epic Games and Apple has been going on for decades.

Concerned about the current state of things Martin Geu aka Dr. Windows now discovered an interesting fact: Microsoft sided with Epic Games in the appeals process and spoke of its disapproval of Apple’s App Store policies. As per Microsoft, Apple would hinder competition by limiting its mobile app store. Epic Games is trolling Apple by showing a 1984 Fortnite video.

Microsoft thinks this way was evident when Microsoft itself was the target of the rules for app stores by launching its Xbox Game Pass. However, Microsoft has also changed its own policies and managed to attract Epic Games into its store by ensuring that Epic retains the entire revenue and doesn’t be required to pay any commissions.

Pressure

This last aspect is going to be crucial when it comes to the appeal process. Additionally, experts anticipate Microsoft’s decision on the App Store dispute to have a significant impact on the court system, since the company is proving that you don’t need to be like Apple. In addition to Microsoft’s latest announcement, 34 US states have recently expressed their opinions. The documents were submitted by state representatives claiming that Apple is preventing competition through its app store for mobile devices. “Apple’s behavior has caused and continues to cause harm to app developers on mobile devices as well as millions of people,” the state statements declared.

“Meanwhile, Apple continues to control the distribution of apps and payment services in-app for iPhones which has led to a reduction in competition and making huge profits for the smartphone industry that is worth nearly $1 trillion annually.” According to the Justice Department said in an appeals statement the U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers “made numerous of legal mistakes which could hamper the effective implementation of the antitrust law, specifically in the digital market.” Rogers has ruled in the past that the 15-30 percent commission that Apple charges Apple to certain app developers via its in-app payment system is not in violation of antitrust laws. Apple is scheduled to make a decision in March.