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Mobile phone players in front of a "Fortnite" banner: Apple's role in the mobile game business is controversial
Photo: Herwin Bahar / dpa / ZUMA Wire
The video game provider Epic Games is now taking action against Apple in the EU.
According to its own information, the game company has submitted a complaint to the EU Commission for competition violations against the US group.
Epic Games accuses the iPhone manufacturer of using strict rules for its app store to exploit its dominant position.
With the so-called Epic Games Store, Epic Games itself operates an online shop for computer games.
The company is also known for games such as "Fortnite" and its Unreal Engine, which many game developers use as the basis for their own developments.
Apple only allows apps and games to be downloaded on its mobile devices from its own app store.
For sales of software and in-app content, Apple collects up to 30 percent of the revenue as a fee.
Google runs a similar model, but programs can also be installed on Android devices in ways other than the company's Play Store.
The dispute escalated in August
Epic Games is not about to change the percentage that Apple receives in app sales to another number, the Reuters news agency quotes Tim Sweeney, the company's managing director.
The stated goal is to "restore competition on iOS".
"Consumers have the right to install applications from the sources of their choice," says Sweeney.
The developers also need a "fair market".
According to the boss, the lack of competition and the fees lead to "inflated prices" for consumers.
Epic Games has been resisting Apple's specifications for a long time.
The dispute escalated in August when the game company tried to offer its own payment system within the "Fortnite" iOS app and thus sell in-app content without surrendering it to Apple.
Apple then banned the popular online game from the App Store.
One of several locations
In response to the complaint in the EU, the iPhone manufacturer Epic Games accused of using the consumer as a deposit - and this is what the Commission wanted to show.
Apple is about offering users a secure app platform and treating all developers equally.
According to Epic Games, the current complaint complements lawsuits against Apple that have already been filed in the United States, Great Britain and Australia.
For its part, the EU Commission initiated investigations into similar allegations in the summer of 2020 after the music streaming service Spotify and other companies complained about Apple's requirements.
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mbö / AFP / dpa
