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A judge has ruled in favor of Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, in a high-profile antitrust case against Apple. As a result, Apple’s ban on outside payments in its App Store has been deemed unlawful. This decision is expected to have significant implications for the cryptocurrency and non-fungible token (NFT) industries.
In August 2020, Epic Games added an option to its Fortnite game allowing players to purchase in-game currency directly from the company, bypassing Apple’s App Store and its 30% commission fee. In response, Apple removed Fortnite from its App Store, prompting Epic Games to file a lawsuit against Apple.
Epic Games argued that Apple’s App Store monopoly was anti-competitive and that the company was engaging in antitrust behavior by blocking outside payments. Apple, on the other hand, argued that its policies were necessary for maintaining the security and privacy of its App Store.
On Friday, September 10th, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled in favor of Epic Games, stating that Apple must allow outside payments in its App Store. The judge also ruled that Apple’s App Store monopoly was anti-competitive, but stopped short of ruling that the company was a monopoly.
Implications for Crypto and NFTs
The ruling is expected to have significant implications for the cryptocurrency and NFT industries. Currently, Apple prohibits cryptocurrency wallets and other crypto-related applications from being offered on its App Store unless they are developed by established banks, exchanges, or other financial institutions.
With the outside payments ban now ruled unlawful, cryptocurrency companies and NFT marketplaces may be able to offer their services on the App Store without being subject to Apple’s 30% commission fee. This could lead to increased adoption of cryptocurrencies and NFTs among Apple’s massive user base.
In addition, the ruling could also pave the way for new decentralized applications and platforms that rely on outside payments to gain a foothold in the Apple ecosystem.
Apple Challenges Ahead
While the ruling is a significant win for Epic Games and could have positive implications for the cryptocurrency and NFT industries, there are still challenges ahead.
Apple is likely to appeal the decision, which could lead to a prolonged legal battle. In addition, the ruling only applies to the United States, so cryptocurrency companies and NFT marketplaces operating in other countries may still face restrictions on the App Store.
The ruling in the Epic Games vs. Apple case is a significant win for Epic Games and could have important implications for the cryptocurrency and NFT industries. With the outside payments ban deemed unlawful, it is possible that cryptocurrency companies and NFT marketplaces may be able to offer their services on the App Store without being subject to Apple’s 30% commission fee. This could lead to increased adoption of cryptocurrencies and NFTs among Apple’s massive user base.
However, there are still challenges ahead, including the possibility of an appeal by Apple and restrictions on the App Store in other countries. Nonetheless, the ruling is a positive development for the cryptocurrency and NFT industries and could pave the way for greater innovation and adoption in the future.
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