Phil Schiller reveals cost of WWDC, developer plans and more
Apple s former head of marketing testifies in the Epic Games lawsuit, arguing that the company strives to make developers feel satisfied.
By
Mikael Markander
| 10 hours ago
Phil Schiller, Apple s former head of marketing and current Apple Fellow, has taken to the stand to answer questions about the rules of the App Store, as the company s high-profile lawsuit with Epic Games enters its critical phase.
Schiller revealed a number of details about the way Apple deals with its developer partners, as the company attempts to deflect accusations of domineering behaviour.
According to Schiller, 90% of developers are eligible for the App Store Small Business Program, which means they only have to pay a 15% fee on app sales rather than 30%.
If Apple loses its trial with Epic Games, it could be eventually forced into making radical changes to the App Store and how consumers spend money within its ecosystem. Here are the likeliest scenarios, and what Apple would have to do to satisfy a ruling.
Apple has been hit with a $2bn lawsuit in the UK.
A group representing consumers claims Apple charges unlawful and excessive fees through its App Store.
It could see some 20 million customers receive a payout.
A UK group has filed the equivalent of a class-action lawsuit against Apple in the UK, over claims its 30% App Store commission rate is excessive and unlawful .
According to multiple reports, the group, led by King s College London digital-economy lecturer Dr. Rachael Kent, allege that Apple guards access to the world of apps jealously , charging entry and user fees that were completely unjustified , which group says is the behavior of a monopolist and unacceptable .
Search suggestions hit the App Store in the US and other countries
Satsuki Then - Apr 30, 2021, 6:19am CDT
One of the most successful business operations that Apple runs is its App Store. While the App Store has run afoul of regulators and businesses in various countries for payment practices, it continues to be the only place for most iOS users to get apps for their iPhones. Since the App Store launched, one thing that has bothered some users is that you had to know the app you were looking for when searching.
Apple has now announced that it is launching search suggestions on the App Store in the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia. With search suggestions, users can type in a generic search in the search bar such as “games” or “food.” Rather than coming up with specific apps, those generic search queries now bring up a list of suggested apps.
Apple says that the App Store now supports more than 243,000 jobs in Canada, an increase of 18% year-over-year, adding that the marketplace has become a resilient source of opportunity.
The Cupertino tech giant on Monday highlighted the App Store as an engine of economic growth in Canada, particularly during the global health crisis. Apple says that developers have generated more than $2 billion CAD in total earnings, growing 20% year-over-year in 2020. The App Store has become a powerful engine of economic growth in Canada and around the world since it launched in 2008, Apple says. As entrepreneurs moved their businesses online and established developers built on their successes, users discovered new apps to help them adapt to an increasingly virtual world.