Apple has blocked the game - and Israeli users are selling smart devices in which it is embedded in thousands of shekels • "Prices? Because of the removal from the app stores"

• "There is no more Fortnight for iPhone in the world"

  Photo: 

  From Facebook

Look surprised: Israeli users are taking advantage of the crisis between Google and Apple and Epic Game, the maker of the popular game "Fortnite", and are offering for sale on a network of smartphones on which the game is installed for thousands of shekels. If you're wondering why, we'll mention that last week Apple and Google removed the game from their app stores, after violating the terms of service.

The most expensive offer we found in a short search for the words "iPhone with Fortnight" in the Facebook online store (Marketplace) was NIS 10,000 for an iPhone Pro Max with 256 GB of memory - double the price in stores when it is new in the package (without the game, of course) . The seller also stated that he has two devices available for purchase.

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Another offer we saw was the iPhone Pro 11 model with a storage capacity of 256 GB for NIS 8,500. According to the seller, this is a completely new device, and he emphasizes that the device comes with the game pre-installed. Another smartphone offered for sale is Samsung's A71 at a price of NIS 7,000. For comparison, you can buy the device in a store for only NIS 1,400.

The most delusional offer we came across is a faulty model of iPhone 11 for NIS 4,000. In the ad, the seller emphasized that the game is installed on the device. So we checked, sent a message to the seller and asked why the price is so high. To this question he replied: "I was told that people who play 'Fortnight' would be interested in buying the device because the game is installed on it. The game is no longer available in app stores, because of that."

Apple and Google have removed Fortnite, claiming that the company has incorporated a payment mechanism that bypasses their built-in mechanism, thus preventing Epic Games from paying a 30% commission on each purchase - and receiving 100% of the profits. However, Epic Games was not surprised by Google and Apple's response, and responded quickly with a lawsuit to the federal court demanding a restraining order, claiming that the technology giants were operating as a monopoly.

Last night it was learned that a judge in the Northern District of California has issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting Apple from completely blocking Epic Games due to harm to external developers, but will still not be required to return Fortnite. That means Apple will not be able to realize the threat that it will block access to the development tool on August 28th.