{"id":244868,"date":"2021-05-08T01:29:00","date_gmt":"2021-05-07T22:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/apple-v-epic-time-is-running-out-for-epic-to-make-its-antitrust-case\/"},"modified":"2021-05-08T01:29:00","modified_gmt":"2021-05-07T22:29:00","slug":"apple-v-epic-time-is-running-out-for-epic-to-make-its-antitrust-case","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/apple-v-epic-time-is-running-out-for-epic-to-make-its-antitrust-case\/","title":{"rendered":"#\n  Apple v. Epic: Time is running out for Epic to make its antitrust case"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3a11c907eef\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3a11c907eef\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/apple-v-epic-time-is-running-out-for-epic-to-make-its-antitrust-case\/#With_roughly_half_of_time_allotted_for_Epic_gone_experts_say_%E2%80%98Fortnite_makers_court_case_is_part_of_a_longer-term_public-pressure_strategy_with_an_ultimate_goal_of_rallying_developers_angering_consumers_and_getting_federal_regulators_to_act\" >With roughly half of time allotted for Epic gone, experts say \u2018Fortnite\u2019 maker\u2019s court case is part of a longer-term public-pressure strategy with an ultimate goal of rallying developers, angering consumers and getting federal regulators to act<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/apple-v-epic-time-is-running-out-for-epic-to-make-its-antitrust-case\/#Jon_Swartz\" >Jon Swartz<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;<strong>#<br \/>\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">App<\/a>le v. Epic: Time is running out for Epic to make its antitrust case<br \/>\n<\/strong>&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"article__subhead\" itemprop=\"alternativeHeadline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"With_roughly_half_of_time_allotted_for_Epic_gone_experts_say_%E2%80%98Fortnite_makers_court_case_is_part_of_a_longer-term_public-pressure_strategy_with_an_ultimate_goal_of_rallying_developers_angering_consumers_and_getting_federal_regulators_to_act\"><\/span>\n  With roughly half of time allotted for Epic gone, experts say \u2018Fortnite\u2019 maker\u2019s court case is part of a longer-term public-pressure strategy with an ultimate goal of rallying developers, angering consumers and getting federal regulators to act<br \/>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"column column--full article__content\">\n<div class=\"article__side\">\n<div class=\"container--sticky not-active\">\n<div class=\"cx--next\">\n              <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"js-article__body\" class=\"article__body article-wrap at16-col16 barrons-article-wrap\" itemprop=\"articleBody\" data-sbid=\"WP-MKTW-0000260811\">\n<div class=\"barrons-article-ad-wrapper\">\n<div data-track=\"barrons-article-ad-wrap\" class=\"barrons-article-ad sticky_item\">\n<div class=\"barrons-main-article-ad-target sticky_target body_ad\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>       As Epic <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Game<\/a>s Inc. methodically made its case in the opening week of its antitrust trial v. Apple Inc., it carefully laid out economic and technological evidence that included testimony from representatives of other major gaming developers and some eyebrow-raising email exchanges among Apple executives.<\/p>\n<p> But as the company approaches the home stretch to drive home its points, some legal experts wonder whether Epic is running out of time.<\/p>\n<div class=\"paywall\">\n       \u201cFrom a legal standpoint, they have established nothing in terms of antitrust. They haven\u2019t shown the practices they are complaining about are harming consumers,\u201d Larry Downes, project director at the\u00a0Georgetown\u2019s\u00a0Center for Business and Public Policy\u2019s Evolution of Regulation and Innovation project. \u201cThis is about lining up other participants [such as Sony and Microsoft] in the ecosystem against Apple, to upset consumers, and force Washington to enact legislation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Florian Ederer, an associate professor of economics at Yale School of Management, lauded Epic\u2019s legal team but expects Apple<br \/>\n        AAPL,<br \/>\n        <bg-quote field=\"percentchange\" format=\"0,000.00%\" channel=\"\/zigman2\/quotes\/202934861\/composite\" class=\"positive\">+0.53%<\/bg-quote><br \/>\n       to win the case based on what Epic has presented. The longer-term strategy for Epic, he said, is to \u201cget some form of long-term regulation\u201d on commissions demanded by digital platforms.<\/p>\n<p>In what many are increasingly calling the internet\u2019s trial, Epic has scored with the testimony of Microsoft Corp.<br \/>\n        MSFT,<br \/>\n        <bg-quote field=\"percentchange\" format=\"0,000.00%\" channel=\"\/zigman2\/quotes\/207732364\/composite\" class=\"positive\">+1.09%<\/bg-quote><br \/>\n       and Nvidia Corp.<br \/>\n        NVDA,<br \/>\n        <bg-quote field=\"percentchange\" format=\"0,000.00%\" channel=\"\/zigman2\/quotes\/200467500\/composite\" class=\"positive\">+1.99%<\/bg-quote><br \/>\n       officials on Apple\u2019s prohibitive policies toward competing cloud-gaming platforms, and compelling email in which Apple executives discussed market dominance. In an infamous 2010 <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/qz.com\/196005\/the-steve-jobs-email-that-outlined-apples-strategy-a-year-before-his-death\/\" class=\"icon none\">email<\/a>, the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs expressed his desire to \u201ctie all of our products together, so we further lock customers into our ecosystem.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Read more: Why cloud gaming became a hot topic at landmark antitrust trial<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>And the strongest witness for Epic is yet to come. Epic\u2019s lead expert economist, David Evans, chairman of the Global Economics Group, is expected to explain how \u201cdistributing its apps through the App Store\u201d caused Epic to pay \u201csupra-competitive commissions and been deprived of the benefits that would flow from a competitive market.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Apple has been especially mindful of Evans. In March, a judge granted Apple\u2019s motion for a 14-hour deposition of Evans, whose 653-page report on the case covers nearly every disputed economic issue in this lawsuit.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEpic\u2019s opening slides had no mention of output or prices, no mention of consumer experience, no mention of the law under which it has the burden, and no mention of its own lead economist, Dr. Evans, upon whom its entire case relies,\u201d Apple attorney Karen Dunn said in her opening statement Monday.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>From the start, Epic has faced a tall order: Convincing a federal judge that Apple<br \/>\n        AAPL,<br \/>\n        <bg-quote field=\"percentchange\" format=\"0,000.00%\" channel=\"\/zigman2\/quotes\/202934861\/composite\" class=\"positive\">+0.53%<\/bg-quote><br \/>\n       broke antitrust law and fomented a monopoly through its App Store.  <\/p>\n<div id=\"cx-membership-tile\"><\/div>\n<p>Antitrust experts like Downes are adamant Epic hasn\u2019t shown enough so far to convince Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers that Apple punished developers with a hefty 30% commission that was passed on to consumers and gave the iPhone maker an unfair advantage over competing apps. Epic needs to convince Rogers that the relevant market at the core of this case should be defined more narrowly as iOS apps.<\/p>\n<p>Epic\u2019s best path to legal victory may be the assertion that rival platforms \u2014 in particular, Android phones \u2014 are not reasonably interchangeable with iOS because of the \u201cwalled garden\u201d constructed by Apple, according to Ari Lightman, professor of digital <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a> and marketing at Carnegie Mellon University\u2019s Heinz College. Nonetheless, he deemed Epic\u2019s chance for success as minimal.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Don\u2019t miss: What to expect from a trial that could change antitrust law and the mobile-app ecosystem<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Epic got off to a rocky start the first two days of the expected 3-week trial on Monday with the testimony of its lead witness, company chief executive Tim Sweeney. His at-times inaudible responses and admission he would have accepted a side deal with Apple to avoid 30% commission fees undercut his effectiveness, according to Apple legal strategists and some antitrust experts said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe was our most effective witness,\u201d an Apple representative gleefully said several times during the week.<\/p>\n<p>Sweeney\u2019s time-consuming stint on the stand \u2014 he was frequently asked to define the functions of a console and gaming terms \u2014 also cut into Epic\u2019s allotted 45 hours to make its case. (Apple also has 45 hours to present its side.)<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, the languorous pace of some questioning and proceedings seemed to wear on Judge Gonzalez Rogers, who requested both sides to expedite things.  <\/p>\n<p>Apple, which could start its case as early as next Friday, is expected to chip away at Epic\u2019s case through a number of counterarguments. It will contend App Store is not a monopoly, and that people can download games on Android phones, gaming consoles, and desktop operating systems. It will assert Epic\u2019s motivation all along has been a greedy, money grab to enrich company coffers after years of working successfully with Apple. (Georgetown\u2019s Downes refers to the suit as a \u201cpower play\u201d in a contract dispute to help Epic\u2019s bottom-line.)<\/p>\n<p>And, most important, Apple defines the game distribution market includes the Android mobile operating system, Xbox, and laptops.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll of Epic\u2019s claims depend on its ability to define the relevant market, the universe of reasonable substitutes,\u201d Apple attorney Dunn said Monday. \u201cEpic\u2019s main economist, Dr. David Evans, proposes a single brand aftermarket of iOS\u00a0app distribution containing all apps in the app store.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe App Store is a store. And like many stores, it is full of products that are not substitutes for each other,\u201d she said. \u201cFortnite is not a substitute for Waze and it\u2019s not a substitute for the Starbucks app.\u00a0Under the law, including in the Ninth Circuit, for Epic to cluster all these non-substitutes together, it would have shown that products in the store are subject to the same competitive conditions. And Epic cannot show that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"byline article__byline\">\n<p>      <span>By<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"author  hasMenu\" data-scrim='{\"type\":\"author\",\"header\":\"Jon Swartz\",\"subhead\":\"The Wall Street Journal\",\"list\":[]}' itemscope itemprop=\"author\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Person\">\n<h4 itemprop=\"name\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Jon_Swartz\"><\/span>Jon Swartz<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.marketwatch.com\/news\/story.asp?guid=%7B21005575-02D4-D4B5-4572-D3FACB968A02%7D&#038;siteid=rss&#038;rss=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;# Apple v. Epic: Time is running out for Epic to make its antitrust case &#8221; With roughly half of time allotted for Epic gone, experts say \u2018Fortnite\u2019 maker\u2019s court case is part of a longer-term public-pressure strategy with an ultimate goal of rallying developers, angering consumers and getting federal regulators to act As Epic&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":238647,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-244868","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/244868","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=244868"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/244868\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/238647"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=244868"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=244868"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=244868"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}