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☆ Apple reverses course, approves Epic Games for app store in Europe
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Apple has approved Epic Games' developer account in Sweden, which will allow the company to offer a competing app store on iPhones in Europe under a new antitrust regulation, the Digital Markets Act. Still, according to emails provided by Epic Games, a lawyer for Apple rejected Sweeney's statement and blocked Epic's European account. An Apple spokesperson confirmed that Epic Games' account had been restored after Epic told Apple it will follow its platform policies. Epic Games said it would use the account to publish Fortnite for iPhones in Europe as well as its own Epic Games store. The conflict between Epic Games and Apple goes back to 2020, when Epic Games updated the shooter game Fortnite to bypass Apple's 30% cut of App Store sales.

Persons: Tim Sweeney, Apple, Phil Schiller, Sweeney, Schiller, — Organizations: Epic Games, Apple, Games, Digital, Epic, Apple App, European Commission, Markets, Apple Developer, CNBC Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Sweden, iPhones, Europe, U.S, California

☆ Epic Games says Apple retaliated over lawsuits by banning company's developer account
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Apple has rejected Epic Games' application for a developer account it would use to launch an app store for iPhones in Europe, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney said Wednesday. The relationship between Apple and Epic Games has been confrontational since Epic sued Apple in 2020 over whether Fortnite could evade Apple's App Store rules and bypass its 30% cut of game sales. The spat highlights global regulatory threats to Apple's App Store sales, a profitable division for Apple reported under its services business. Sweeney said Wednesday that Epic planned to introduce a new app store in Europe to distribute Fortnite and other games. Don't miss these stories from CNBC PRO:WATCH: Epic Games lawsuit

Persons: Apple, Tim Sweeney, Sweeney, Phil Schiller, Schiller Organizations: Games, Apple, Apple App, Epic Games, Digital Markets, Spotify, Epic, Sweden, CNBC Locations: iPhones, Europe, California, Sweden

☆ Apple opens up iPhone app store in Europe, a major crack in its 'walled garden'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Apple announced plans to open up its iPhone App Store in Europe to competitors on Thursday, a move that opens up cracks in the company's famous "walled garden," with which it controls app distribution on its devices. Apple said on Thursday that it believes the new regulation puts its users at risk for scams, fraud and abuse, because apps that don't go through Apple's App Store aren't reviewed for content and could contain malware. Developers in general are likely to celebrate, as many have chafed for years over Apple's fees and rigorous App Review program that frequently rejects app updates. The changes are restricted to Europe and accounts that are registered in the E.U., rather than changes to the way iPhone app distribution works in the U.S. "Developers can now learn about the new tools and terms available for alternative app distribution and alternative payment processing, new capabilities for alternative browser engines and contactless payments, and more," said Apple App Store boss Phil Schiller in a statement.

Persons: Tim Cook, Apple, Phil Schiller Organizations: Apple, National Committee, China Relations, China Business Council, Economic Cooperation, APEC, Digital Markets, Spotify, Microsoft, U.S Locations: Asia, San Francisco , California, Europe, U.S

☆ Apple reportedly abandoned a secretive project that would have made the Apple Watch compatible with Android phones
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Apple reportedly considered making the Apple Watch compatible with Androids under a secret project. The project was reportedly abandoned over concerns it could impact iPhone sales, Bloomberg reported. Apple previously had similar concerns around making iMessage for Android, with an exec saying it would hurt Apple more than help. AdvertisementAdvertisementIf you buy one Apple product, Apple wants you to be tempted to buy another — and that's why we might never get an Android-compatible Apple Watch. You need an iPhone to set up an Apple Watch, for example.

Persons: —, Apple, smartwatch, Apple's, Craig Federighi, Phil Schiller Organizations: Apple, Apple Watch, Bloomberg, Android, Service, Epic Games Locations: Brazil, India, Indonesia, Iran, Turkey

Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images2008: iPhone 3G, meet the App StoreWith the second version of the iPhone, Apple introduces the App Store and 3G connectivity. Stephen Lam/Reuters2016: iPhone SE, a budget optionTaking a step back, the iPhone SE is a cheaper, smaller device than the 6S, giving customers a chance to enjoy Apple’s phones at a much lower cost. People handle the new Apple iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max during a media tour at an Apple office in Shanghai, China, on September 21, 2018. Brendon Thorne/Bloomberg/Getty Images2020: iPhone 12 Mini, small but mightyThe iPhone 12 mini is smaller than the usual iPhone but packs a powerful punch. Mike Segar/Reuters2021: iPhone 13 Series, same price for more spaceThe iPhone 13 stays at the same price as the iPhone 12 with double the storage space, as well as featuring a much smaller top notch.

Persons: Steve Jobs, John Green, ” Jobs, Leon Neal, Justin Sullivan, Siri, FaceTime, “, ”, Jobs, Michael Nagle, Apple, Seth K, Hughes, Akio Kon, David Gray, Tim Cook, Josh Edelson, Stephen Lam, David Paul Morris, Phil Schiller, Aly Song, Max, Jason Lee, Pro Max, Phil Barker, Brendon Thorne, Mike Segar, Gabby Jones, Andrew Kelly Organizations: New, New York CNN, Apple, Macworld, Bay Area, Getty, Lightning, Bloomberg, Apple Inc, Worldwide, Steve Jobs, Steve, Pro, Future Publishing Locations: New York, San Francisco, London, AFP, San Francisco , California, New York City, Cupertino , California, Ginza, Tokyo, Japan, Sydney, Shanghai, China, Beijing, Australia, Manhattan , New York

☆ Tim Cook bets his legacy on augmented reality
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

David Paul Morris/Getty Images Cook speaks in front of an image of an iPhone 4S at Apple headquarters in 2011. Yui Mok/PA Images/Getty Images Tim Cook puts on a Boston Red Sox jersey before a baseball game between the Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers in June 2017. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Tim Cook signs the box of a new iPhone X at an Apple Store in Palo Alto in November 2017. Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg/Getty Images Cook speaks via video conference at a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing on online platforms and market power in July 2020. In pictures: Apple CEO Tim Cook Prev NextFollowers of the company are divided on what the headset could ultimately mean for Cook.

Persons: Tim Cook, Steve Jobs, Cook, It’s, … it’s, ”, Margaret O’Mara, Andrew Burton, Phil Schiller, Jobs, David Paul Morris, Apple, Tom Williams, Marcio Jose Sanchez, Bono, Justin Sullivan, Tony Avelar, Stephen Lam, George Washington University's, Alex Brandon, Stephen Colbert, Jeffrey R, Pope Francis, Shutterstock Cook, Maddie Ziegler, AirPods, Monica Davey, James Corden, Pharrell, Beck Diefenbach, Reuters Cook, Yui Mok, Billie Weiss, Donald Trump, Jonathan, Oprah Winfrey, Win McNamee, Theresa Goh, Edgar Su, Andrew Harrer, Graeme Jennings, Noah Berger, Sajid Moinuddin, India's, Francis Mascarenhas, Brooks Kraft, it’s, Mike Bailey, “, Tim Bajarin, ’, ” Bajarin, Bajarin, they’ll Organizations: New, New York CNN, Apple, Vision, Apple Watch, University of Washington, Washington Post, Getty, Reuters, Alamy, Homeland Security, Governmental, Flint Center, Performing Arts, Cook, CBS, Serviziofotograficoor, Primary School, Boston Red Sox, Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, American Technology, White House, Steve Jobs Theatre, Carnegie Library, Central Public Library, Bloomberg, Singapore, Apple Worldwide, Conference, Epic Games, Apple Inc, FBB Capital Partners, Jobs Locations: New York, Cupertino , California, Cupertino, Palo Alto , California, Palo Alto, San Francisco, Down, London, Washington , DC, Oakland , California, Mumbai

☆ Apple spends over $100 million advertising on Twitter annually, report says, amid Elon Musk's growing criticism of the tech giant
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Apple spent $48 million on Twitter ads in Q1, making it a key revenue stream, per the Washington Post. It is unclear whether Apple has actually removed ad spending from Twitter, and neither Apple nor Twitter immediately responded to requests for comment from Insider. Musk outlined in a tweet that Apple had additionally "threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store, but won't tell us why." Shortly afterwards, Phil Schiller, a high-profile Apple executive managing the App Store, deleted his Twitter account, which had over 200,000 followers. If Twitter is booted off the App Store, it will lose access to 1.5 billion devices around the world, Bloomberg said.

☆ Elon Musk claims Apple has threatened to remove the Twitter app
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Twitter owner Elon Musk claimed on Monday in a series of tweets that Apple had threatened to remove the Twitter app from the App Store as part of its app review moderation process. "Apple has also threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store, but won't tell us why," Musk tweeted. Apple's App Store is the only way to distribute software to iPhones. If the Twitter app were pulled, the social network would lose one of its main distribution platforms, although the service is available for the web. In addition, Apple requires iPhone app makers to pay between 15% and 30% of any digital goods sold through their apps.

☆ Elon Musk claims Apple has ‘threatened to withhold’ Twitter from its app store
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN Business —Elon Musk on Monday claimed that Apple has “threatened” to pull Twitter from its iOS app store, a move that could be devastating to the company Musk just acquired for $44 billion. He also criticized Apple’s size, claimed it engages in “censorship,” and called out the 30% transaction fee Apple charges large app developers to be listed in its app store. Parler was returned to Apple’s app store three months later after updating its content moderation practices. “If you’re looking to shock and offend people, the App Store isn’t the right place for your app,” the guidelines state. Roth said the company’s failure to adhere to Google and Apple’s app store rules could be “catastrophic.”And last weekend, the head of Apple’s app store, Phil Schiller, deleted his Twitter account.

☆ Elon Musk says he will create 'alternative' smartphone if Twitter is kicked out of the Apple App Store
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk is willing to build his own smartphone if Twitter gets kicked out of Apple's App Store. With Musk's changes to Twitter's content moderation, it could land outside Apple's rules. Musk wrote in a Friday tweet he would "make an alternative phone" to compete with Apple's iPhone if the tech giant ends up blocking Twitter from its powerful App Store. In a potentially bad sign for Twitter, Phil Schiller, a longtime Apple marketing executive who leads its App Store, last week deleted his Twitter account. Schiller's move came after Musk complained on Twitter about Apple's fees, saying they're effectively "a hidden 30% tax on the internet."

☆ High-profile Apple executive overseeing App Store deleted his Twitter account, which had over 200,000 followers
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

An Apple executive of 30 years leading its App Store deleted his Twitter account over the weekend. Elon Musk had complained about App Store fees being "too high" on Twitter just a few days before. Twitter risks expulsion from Apple's App Store if Musk rejects rules, one former Twitter exec said. In a tweet on November 19, Musk said: "App store fees are obviously too high due to the iOS/Android duopoly. App Store fees would decrease the revenue generated by Twitter Blue, hence Musk's complaints.

☆ Elon Musk has upended Twitter’s business. Here’s how he could fix it
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The Tesla CEO has previously said he “hates advertising” and, as Twitter’s owner, professed a desire to make the company more reliant on subscription revenue than advertising dollars. Twitter has always struggled to turn its outsized influence in media, politics, and culture into a highly successful advertising business. Twitter’s advertising business has long been smaller than that of rivals like Facebook, in part because it didn’t offer the same level of user targeting. To successfully overhaul Twitter into a thriving subscription business would be to buck the trend of many other media properties that have struggled with the model. Twitter’s ad woesWhether he likes advertising or not, the business made up 90% of Twitter’s revenue prior to Musk’s takeover and replacing it won’t be an immediate shift.

☆ Meta is mad about Apple's latest policy change, accusing the company of trying to 'grow their own business while undercutting others'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Britney Nguyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Apple's updated App Store rules give it 30% of in-app purchases for social media post "boosts." A Meta spokesperson told Insider that Apple's move undercuts other businesses and helps itself. "Apple continues to evolve its policies to grow their own business while undercutting others in the digital economy," a Meta spokesperson told Insider in a statement. In Meta's earning call on Wednesday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged some of Apple's recent changes, including its latest App Store policy language around boosted posts, saying they are "obviously big risks" that Meta "see as issues." Meta experienced a 4% revenue decline in the third quarter of this year, continuing a string of disappointing quarterly earnings.

☆ Tim Cook's attitude towards iPhone users wanting a fix for texting is condescending: It's time for Apple to talk to Android
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-16 | by ( Michael Gartenberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The company's refusal to fix this is a burden on iOS users, not Android users. But the company's refusal to fix this is a burden on iOS users, not Android users. If iMessage is truly a major reason that iPhone users stick around, then Apple is on a slippery slope. The more these interoperability issues plague Apple users, the more users will find ways around iMessage. The undistorted reality is, despite Tim Cook's comments, Apple users do want interoperability.

☆ Tim Cook says Apple doesn't get many requests to fix green bubble messages to Android users
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-08 | by ( Katie Canales | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Apple CEO Tim Cook told an audience member Wednesday to "buy your mom an iPhone." The fan asked Cook about how Apple converts Android messages, a long contentious topic. At the annual Code Conference Wednesday night, Cook was answering audience questions when one man asked about improving cross-device messaging. This is why some users complain about poorly converted videos and other media when sending them between Android and iPhones. "These problems exist because Apple refuses to adopt modern texting standards when people with iPhones and Android phones text each other," the Android website says.

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