CARY – Tim Sweeney, CEO and founder of Epic Games, says that Apple is “misleading” in a statement about a letter he sent to Apple executives before a legal fight ignited over 30% fees on developers by Apple in order to use its app store.
In a court filing Friday Apple said Sweeney had written its executives seeking a special deal on the fees. Epic is suing both Apple and Google after the internet giants moved to ban Epic and its megahit Fortnite from its stores when Epic moved to avoid the fees which are charged on in-app purchases.
“Apple’s statement is misleading,” Sweeney tweeted Friday.
“You can read my email in Apple’s filing, which is publicly available. I specifically said in Epic’s request to the Apple execs, “We hope that Apple will also make these options equally available to all iOS developers…”
In its filing, Apple noted the letter:
“On June 30, 2020, Epic’s CEO Tim Sweeney wrote my colleagues and me an email asking for a ‘side letter’ from Apple that would create a special deal for only Epic that would fundamentally change the way in which Epic offers apps on Apple’s iOS platform,” former Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller wrote in a declaration. Schiller, whose title is now Fellow, runs Apple’s App Store.
Epic is seeking a temporary restraining order against Apple to prevent its removal from the app store. A hearing is scheduled Monday.
NY Times: How Apple’s app store became a boon – and a headache
The full text of Sweeney’s letter was included in the tweet and is reporudced here:
Image of letter to Apple published via a tweet by Tim Sweeney
