Apple just kicked Fortnite off the App Store

If I go to the App Store on my phone, and go to my "Purchased" list, Fortnite is still listed there. I wasn't up to date, and clicking on "update" gives the message:

    "Fortnite" No Longer Available. The developer has removed this app from the App Store.

Interesting wording. I wonder if they only have one message for pulled-by-Apple vs pulled-by-dev?

Wonder if that false message could get them in trouble with consumer rights laws?

I hope it does.

Monopolies lead to stagnation, rising prices, and inferior product quality. Even though Apple is not a monopoly in the strict sense, I think we consumers will benefit from alternative app store - or Apple opening up the platform.

I believe one can still have (moderately) secure ecosystem without it being a walled garden.

If you have an iPhone the Appstore is unquestionably a monopoly. At least Google can make the case you can install other app stores so the monopoly claim is weaker.

The mere mention of Google, a perfectly suitable competitor, leads me to believe you don’t understand what a monopoly is...

Smartphones are not stand alone widgets. They are portals into vast troves of software made by legions of developers. Right now, at least for Apple, their app store is the lone chokepoint between this software and the world. Them taking 30% of every sale between the developers and their users deserves scrutiny. This percentage is not based on the market because there is no market. There is one option. There lies the monopoly.