The battle between tech giants is heating up. Microsoft just threw its weight behind Epic Games in its fight against Apple. In a court filing, Microsoft says Apple’s strict App Store rules are holding back its own Xbox Mobile Store.
Microsoft has been supporting Epic Games for a while now. It’s worried that Apple might go back to its old rules, forcing developers to pay a 30% fee for in-app purchases. This would shut down the alternative payment options that are currently available.
After a court ruling last year allowed other payment options, Microsoft started working on a new plan. But Apple allegedly twisted the ruling, derailing Microsoft’s plans.
The plan was to let users buy apps and games like Xbox, Candy Crush, and Minecraft through other payment platforms, not just the App Store. This is something Spotify and Amazon Kindle have already started doing to avoid Apple’s 30% fee.
Microsoft says the court ruling should have allowed it to offer consumers an alternative. It wanted to launch its own online store, accessible via a link, where users could buy in-app items outside of the App Store and use them in other games or apps. But even this option is being blocked by Apple.
Now, Apple is appealing the court ruling and wants the court to put the original ruling on hold while it appeals. Microsoft is pushing the court to enforce the original ruling because Apple has said it can reverse its policy changes at any time. This has Microsoft worried that Apple might change its mind if the court doesn’t enforce the ruling strictly.
Although things are moving quickly – Fortnite is even back on the App Store in the US – Microsoft is still in wait-and-see mode. It doesn’t want to launch its Xbox Mobile Store only to have it shut down if Apple wins its appeal.