
Epic v. Apple: The legal challenge that could remake the future of the digital economy
CNN
Ever since it was launched in 2008, the Apple App Store has been the sole gatekeeper between apps and iPhones and iPads. Other platforms, such as Google's Android, allow apps to be downloaded through third-party app stores. For any developers who want on to Apple's mobile devices, though, the choice is simple — it's the App Store or nothing.
Because it has set things up this way, Apple wields huge power over the terms it can dictate to app makers. One in particular has become a thorny issue, even if most consumers are unlikely to notice it: Any time you buy a digital product or service on many iOS apps, it is processed on an Apple-run payment system, and Apple collects a 30% fee from that. Now, a federal judge is slated to decide: Is Apple's policy just a hugely successful business model — or is it a violation of US antitrust law?More Related News