Month: August 2020

Makers of Fortnite sue Google over game removal

CompuScoop Staff August 20, 2020 0

The two primary charges are identical to Epic’s suit against Apple: monopoly control over the distribution of software to phones, and monopoly control over payment systems within that software. In Google’s case, Epic is specifically concerned about the Google Play Store’s powerful role as a distributor of Android apps, and the Play Store’s requirement that hosted apps use Play Store Billing for any in-app purchases.

Thursday’s lawsuit makes a similar case, arguing that Google has established the Play Store as the only viable distribution method for Android apps. “Notwithstanding its promises to make Android devices open to competition, Google has erected contractual and technological barriers that foreclose competing ways of distributing apps to Android users, ensuring that the Google Play Store accounts for nearly all the downloads of apps from app stores on Android devices.”

Reached for comment, Google emphasized that Fortnite had been removed from the Play Store for violating clear and pre-established rules.

Via: The Verge.com

News publishers ask Apple for the same App Store deal that was given to Amazon.com

CompuScoop Staff August 20, 2020 0

A group of news publishers sent a letter to Apple Inc. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook seeking similar deal terms in its App Store that Amazon.com Inc. gets for its video-streaming service.

Apple takes 30% of the revenue from most subscriptions in its App Store, then 15% after the first year. But in late July, a congressional antitrust panel disclosed internal emails showing a more-favorable deal struck between Apple services chief Eddy Cue and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. They agreed to a 15% revenue share for Amazon Prime Video customers who signed up through the iPhone app and no revenue share for users who already subscribed via Amazon or elsewhere, the emails showed.

“We would like to know what conditions our members — high quality digital content companies — would need to meet in order to qualify for the arrangement Amazon is receiving for its Amazon Prime Video app in the Apple App Store,” Jason Kint, CEO of Digital Content Next, wrote in the letter to Cook.

Digital Content Next represents several news outlets that rely on subscriptions for much of their revenue, including The New York Times, News Corp., which owns The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. The group also represents Bloomberg LP, owner of Bloomberg News.

To read the rest of the article, click here.

Ted Lasso already renewed for Season 2 on Apple TV+

Dan Uff August 20, 2020 0

Apple has announced it has already renewed the comedy series "Ted Lasso" for season 2. The below is the official announcement.

Apple’s breakout hit comedy “Ted Lasso” scores season two pick up

On the heels of the premiere of Apple’s buzzworthy hit series “Ted Lasso,” the acclaimed comedy watched by fans around the world has scored a 10-episode second season set to debut next year.

The fourth episode of the sports smash comedy will premiere globally this Friday, August 21 on Apple TV+. In this week’s new episode, Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) hosts the team’s annual charity benefit, where Ted stages a reconciliation between Roy (Brett Goldstein) and Jamie (Phil Dunster).

Jason Sudeikis plays Ted Lasso, a small-time college football coach from Kansas hired to coach a professional soccer team in England, despite having no experience coaching soccer. In addition to starring, Sudeikis serves as executive producer, alongside Bill Lawrence (“Scrubs”) via his Doozer Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television, a division of NBCUniversal Content. Doozer’s Jeff Ingold also serves as an executive producer with Liza Katzer as co-executive producer. The series was developed by Sudeikis, Lawrence, Joe Kelly and Brendan Hunt, and is based on the pre-existing format and characters from NBC Sports.

The premiere and renewal of “Ted Lasso” follows Apple TV+ landing an historic 18 Primetime Emmy Award nominations across six hit programs, including “The Morning Show,” “Beastie Boys Story,” “Defending Jacob,” “Central Park” and more, a milestone for a new streaming service in its first year.

Following its launch on November 1, 2019, Apple TV+ has set records as the only new streaming service to instantly launch globally in over 100 countries, and to have been honored with 107 awards nominations and 26 wins and accolades in only nine months.

Apple TV+ is available on the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch, Mac, select Samsung and LG smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV and Roku devices, as well as at tv.apple.com, for $4.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. The Apple TV app will be available on Sony and VIZIO smart TVs later this year. For a limited time, customers who purchase a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch can enjoy one year of Apple TV+ for free. This special offer is good for three months after the first activation of the eligible device.1 For more information, please visit apple.com/tvpr.

1 One subscription per Family Sharing group. Plan automatically renews until cancelled. Restrictions and other terms apply. Visit apple.com/promo for more information.

Judge in Fortnite Case backed Apple in a similar 2013 situation

CompuScoop Staff August 20, 2020 0

U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland, California, took over the Epic case Wednesday from another judge. Back in 2013, she dismissed a lawsuit claiming Apple’s apps monopoly cost consumers hundreds of millions of dollars in overcharges. Plaintiffs requested a new judge after the U.S. Supreme Court revived the case in 2019, saying Rogers was too hostile to their legal position, but an appeals court denied their request.

In the 2013 case, consumers also attacked Apple’s 30% app store fee, arguing they would pay less if it weren’t for the “fixed” cost. Rogers reasoned that the cost is passed on to consumers by developers, rather than charged directly by Apple. Consumers don’t have a right to sue for antitrust violations over such passed-on charges, she ruled.

It’s not uncommon in federal courts for cases addressing related issues to be assigned to the same judge.

In 2014, Rogers ruled that iPod users failed to prove that Apple violated federal antitrust laws after a jury rejected their claims that software updates for the device were meant to block competitors.

To read the rest of the article, click here.