microsoft: Why Microsoft thinks Apple needs to be ‘stopped’ and it goes beyond the App Store – Times of India

Apple has been embroiled in a bitter legal battle with Epic Games, the developer behind the popular Fortnite game. Epic Games has got support from several quarters, including US Attorney General. And now Microsoft has joined Epic’s fight against Apple. Late last year, a US court ruled somewhat in Apple’s favour and Epic Games appealed against it.
According to a report by Apple Insider, Microsoft filed an amicus brief in support of Epic Games. Microsoft said that “Online commerce and interpersonal connection funnels significantly, and sometimes predominantly, through iOS devices.” It further said that Apple’s monopoly means that it “controlled the pipe through which such an enormous range of economic activity flows.”
Microsoft said that the issue goes beyond antitrust issues around gaming. “Beyond app distribution and in-app payment solutions – the adjacent markets directly at issue in this case,” noted Microsoft in its filing. “Apple offers mobile payments, music, movies and television, advertising, games, health tracking, web browsing, messaging, video chat, news, cloud storage, e-books, smart-home devices, wearables, and more besides,” argued Microsoft.
Further, Microsoft argued that the original ruling — which was somewhat in Apple’s favour — is upheld then it would “insulate Apple from meritorious antitrust scrutiny and embolden further harmful conduct.” It also said that innovation will suffer if the ruling is in Apple’s favour.
In the brief, Microsoft argued that it brings “a unique – and balanced – perspective to the legal, economic, and technological issues this case implicates.” Microsoft said that it sells hardware devices and one of the leading operating systems for personal computers. “Microsoft also provides an online store for applications that run on its operating system. In other parts of its business, Microsoft sells applications and services that run on operating systems and devices built by other companies, like Apple. It offers products that compete with Apple and, like Epic Games, Inc. (“Epic”), it offers games,” argued Microsoft. “If Apple is allowed to step between any company with online services and users of iPhones, few areas of the vast mobile economy will be safe from Apple’s interference and eventual dominance,” added Microsoft in the brief.