SoylentNews

Freeman [soylentnews.org] writes:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/07/report-apple-approves-epic-games-store-on-ios-in-europe/ [arstechnica.com]

It's been a whirlwind journey of stops and starts, but AppleInsider reports [appleinsider.com] the Epic Game Store for iOS in the European Union has passed Apple's notarization process.

This paves the way for Epic CEO Tim Sweeney to realize his long-stated goal of launching an alternative game store on Apple's closed platform—at least in Europe.
[...]
Apple's new policies allow for alternative app marketplaces but with some big caveats regarding the deal that app developers agree to. We discussed it in some detail earlier this year [arstechnica.com].
[...]
Even after the shift, Apple is said to have rejected the Epic Games Store app twice. The rejections were over specific rules about the copy and shape of buttons within the app, though not about its primary function.
[...]
After those rejections, Epic took to X [x.com] to accuse Apple of rejecting the app in a way that was "arbitrary, obstructive, and in violation of the DMA." Epic claimed it followed Apple's suggested design conventions for the buttons and noted that the copy matched language it has been using in its store on other platforms for a long time.

Not long after, Apple went ahead and approved the app despite the disagreement over the copy and button designs. However, AppleInsider reported that Apple will still require Epic to change the copy and buttons later. Epic disputed that on X [x.com], and Sweeney offered his own take [x.com]:

Original Submission