Microsoft has filed a legal brief in support of Epic Games as part of Apple’s appeal against the recent ruling that has seen Fortnite finally return to the Apple App Store. The point of the brief is to aid the court by providing additional, relevant information or arguments – and they make it clear that Microsoft blames Apple for the delays on the Xbox Mobile Store.
The brief specifically targets Apple’s appeal and its attempt to reverse or overrule the injunction, which currently allows app developers like Fortnite’s Epic Games to provide customers with alternative way to pay in the Apps – and importantly, not have to give Apple a cut.
As reported by Tom Warren over at The Verge, this is how Microsoft detailed their explanation, saying “The district court’s injunction allows Apple to maintain its in-app exclusivity but at least should have enabled Microsoft to offer consumers a workable solution by launching its own online store — accessible via link-out — for in-app items to be purchased off-app and used in games or other apps. And that is what Microsoft wants to do. But even this solution has been stymied by Apple.
Prior to the district court’s most recent order, Microsoft had been unable to implement linked-out payments (or even inform customers that alternative purchase methods exist) because of Apple’s new anti-steering policies that restrict Microsoft’s communication to users and impose an even higher economic cost to Microsoft than before the injunction.“
Xbox have long wanted to launch a new Xbox mobile store, which was originally planned for July 2024. In a recent update, streaming was removed from the existing app due to Apple’s policies, as they wanted to roll out the ability for users to buy new games or DLC, but they couldn’t have both game streaming and game purchases in the same application.
For now, users wanting to stream a game they’ve bought on the Xbox store on either iOS or Android, have to head to Xbox.com/play to login there via a compatible browser.
How do you feel that Microsoft blames Apple for the delays on the Xbox Mobile Store? Are you hoping Microsoft win this one, or do you like the way Apple do things? Let us know in the comments via the XboxEra Forums or make some noise in the XboxEra Community Discord.
