As Apple and Epic Games begin what is bound to be a lengthy bout in court, the iPhone manufacturer has now moved against Facebook after the social media company tried to inform users of the App Store’s mandatory 30% fee.
In the latest version of its app, Facebook is introducing functionality to allow users to host virtual events and monetize them in response to job losses due to COVID-19. Facebook says it approached Apple to waive the 30% cut it would take from all user transactions but explained that Apple declined the request.
As a response, Facebook attempted to inform users of the cut that Apple would take from their transactions. Apple ultimately blocked the update from launching with the warning in place, citing a clause that prevents “unnecessary information” being communicated to the users. Facebook, in a statement to Reuters, says it will explore alternative methods to communicate this to users in the future.
Apple and its 30% cut on App Store transactions is at the center of its legal battle with Epic Games, with recently chose to break the App Store’s terms of service to protest the tax. Fortnite was predictably removed from iOS as a result, with Apple then threatening to revoke Epic’s development tools after the company filed a lawsuit. A judge presiding over the preliminary hearing this week upheld the Fortnite ban on iOS but prevented Apple from revoking tools that would affect all Unreal Engine games on iOS.
The legal proceedings are ongoing and will likely take months to resolve, with Apple requesting up to ten months of preparation time for the trial. Fortnite will not be updated on iOS during this time, excluding players from the Marvel-focused Season 4 that launched this week.
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