Epic Games Store Launches on iPhone in EU, Brings Fortnite Back to iOS
After a four-year absence, Fortnite is making its return to iPhones – but only for users in the European Union. This comeback is part of the broader launch of the Epic Games Store for iPhone, which went live today in the EU.
The return of Fortnite to iOS comes as a result of the EU's Digital Markets Act, which has forced Apple to allow third-party app marketplaces on its platform. Users in the EU can now download the Epic Games Store by visiting Epic's website on their iPhones.
Fortnite's availability is undoubtedly the headline feature of the Epic Games Store launch. The popular battle royale game was removed from the App Store in 2020 following a dispute between Epic and Apple over in-app purchase systems. Prior to that, Fortnite on iOS made more than $700 million over two years, while Apple collected more than $100 million in revenue from the 30 percent cut that it took from Fortnite in-app purchases.
Otherwise, the current game catalog in the iOS Epic Games Store is limited, featuring only a handful of Epic's own titles such as Fortnite and Rocket League Sideswipe. However, the company says it plans to expand the library over time and is in discussions with third-party mobile developers.
Going forward, Epic will have to deal with navigating Apple's new fee structure, including a "Core Technology Fee" of €0.50 per install per year after the first million installs. This fee applies to both the Epic Games Store itself and the games within it, effectively doubling the charge for popular titles like Fortnite. The EU commission is currently investigating whether Apple's new fee structure complies with the Digital Markets Act.
The Epic Games Store is only available on iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, while iPad users will have to wait until the release of iPadOS 18 to access the store on their devices. Epic says it plans to expand the availability of its store to other regions where regulations permit, with Japan slated for a 2025 launch. The company has set a goal of reaching 100 million mobile downloads of its store by the end of the year, made up of combined game installs across both iOS and Android.
Popular Stories
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued.
The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models.
In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19.
"Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag.
The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle.
Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
Apple is set to "significantly change" the iPhone's design language later this year, according to a Weibo leaker.
In a new post, the user known "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone's design is "starting to change significantly" this year. The "iPhone 17 Air" reportedly features a "horizontal, bar-shaped" design on the rear, likely referring to an elongated camera bump. On the other...
Wednesday February 19, 2025 11:38 am PST by
Juli CloverFollowing the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia pages to give a narrower timeline on when the next updates are set to launch.
All three pages now state that new Apple Intelligence features and languages will launch in early April, an update from the more broader April timeframe that Apple provided before. The next major point updates will be iOS ...
The first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones should be just around the corner, and the update is expected to include many new features and changes.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the iOS 18.4 beta to be released by next week.
Below, we outline what to expect from iOS 18.4 so far.
Apple Intelligence for Siri
Siri is expected to get several enhancements powered by Apple Intelligence on iOS...
YouTube channel Front Page Tech today revealed the alleged design of Apple's widely-rumored "iPhone 17 Air" model, set to launch later this year.
"iPhone 17 Air" render created by @zellzoi for Front Page Tech
In a video uploaded today, Front Page Tech shared renders depicting what it believes is likely the final design of the "iPhone 17 Air." The device is expected to feature an ultra-thin...
Apple released the HomePod mini in November 2020, followed by the AirTag in May 2021, and both still remain first-generation products.
Fortunately, rumors suggest that both the HomePod mini and the AirTag will finally be updated at some point this year.
Below, we recap rumors about the HomePod mini 2 and AirTag 2.
HomePod mini 2
In January 2025, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple is ...
