Recently, Apple’s App Store has been the center of attention for some good and some unpleasant reasons. Complying by its policy, Apple rejected Facebook’s gaming app from the digital store again this week for the fifth time.
Facebook launched its gaming app in April this year, which serves as a multi-purpose platform for players; they can play games, engage with other players, and even share live streaming videos. The gaming app is available for Android users on Google Play but has been facing approval issues on iOS App Store.
Apple Rejects Facebook Gaming app
The New York Times reports that Cupertino HQ rejected Facebook Gaming again because of its ‘games’ distribution’ design which violated App Store’s policy rule 4.7. The developer has changed the app’s design a few times to get approval for its HTML5 games by the App Store but has been unsuccessful. Thus, it is reported that Facebook might remove HTML5 games altogether.
Apple is objecting to HTML5 games because its design has many advantages for the developer but the digital store owner loses control as they can be updated very freely and the developer can set any mode of payments. But the question remains that why a tech giant like Facebook is so eager to get its app on the App Store. The answer lies in the lucrative monetary value of Apple’s digital market place which is available in 175 countries, housing 2 million applications with over half a billion visits per week.
App Store – a half a trillion digital ecosystem
On June 15, the company released the App Store ecosystem’s half a trillion earnings in billing and sales in 2019. Included in the digital goods and services category, gaming applications earned $61 billion and $20 billion via gaming in-app purchases.
Therefore, it is understandable why Apple wants to maintain control over its digital ecosystem and that control has led Apple in hot waters.
Apple under EC investigation
Although Facebook is trying to make its app acceptable to the Cupertino tech giant’s rules and regulations, not all developers have the same attitude. Calling out issues with unequal policy implementation and unfair up to 30% share in-app purchases, European Commission has launched an antitrust investigation against Apple on complaints of anti-competitive behavior, by Spotify and an unnamed ebook and audio book developer.
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