Apple and Google on trial as Epic Games brings its fight to Australia
The case brought by the makers of Fortnite may well have a bearing on how the government tackles Big Tech's market power in Australia.
Apple, Google and Epic Games will enter a Melbourne courtroom this month for a 16-week test of competition and Big Tech regulation in Australia.
It’s not the beginning of a nerdy law joke, but the culmination of years of billable hours in two linked blockbuster corporate disputes. It will see Epic, the developer of the popular online game Fortnite, allege that Apple and Google engage in restrictive trading practices and misuse of market power via their respective app stores.
Epic has alleged Apple has broken Australian competition law by forcing the company (and any other app developer) to only use its App Store to distribute video games to iOS users, and its payment system for in-app purchases.
Against Google, Epic alleges the company has broken competition and consumer law by abusing its control of the Android operating system, harming consumers through reduced choice and inflated prices and restricting competition for app distribution.
