Apple and Epic Games are facing off in Australia among other countries, and this week, Apple accused ‌Epic Games‌ of seeking a "free ride" on its platform. In a statement to MacRumors, Apple said that it will continue to fight for a ruling that respects its intellectual property. "Epic is now asking to free ride on Apple's platform and dismantle every safeguard we've put in place to protect users and developers -- a request that goes well beyond the Court's ruling. We will continue to seek an outcome that respects our intellectual property and protects the safe, secure experience consumers and developers expect from our platform." For context, ‌Epic Games‌ sued Apple in Australia way back in 2020, accusing the…

Roadside Assistance via Satellite is now available in Australia, allowing Australian iPhone users to get help if their car breaks down in an area without Wi-Fi or cellular service. According to Apple, Roadside Assistance via Satellite can be used in Australia to get help from NRMA, RACV, RACQ, RAA, RAC, RACT, and AANT. Using the feature requires an ‌iPhone‌ 14 or later with satellite capabilities, and iOS 18.4 or later. There continues to be no charge for Apple's satellite services, though customers who use Roadside Assistance will need to pay the fee of the company that responds. Both Australians and international travelers who visit Australia are able to use the Roadside Assistance feature. Prior to now, Roadside Assistance via Satellite…

Apple and Epic Games have been involved in a high-profile legal battle in the United States, but the two companies have also been facing off in court in Australia. Back in August, Australia's federal court ruled that the Apple App Store had violated competition laws by prohibiting sideloading and alternative payment methods. At the time, the court had not shared a written judgment, but now the 900-page document has been published and additional information on the court's decision is available. In a statement to MacRumors, Apple said that it does not agree with the court's decision and will continue to argue its position in court. Apple does not have a monopoly position in Australia or in any market around the…

Epic Games’ Fortnite An Australian federal court ruled that the app stores of Apple and Google-owned Android are uncompetitive, local media reported Tuesday, marking a partial win for Fortnite developer Epic Games in its ongoing global legal battle against the tech giants. The court found that the app stores lack protections against anti-competitive behavior, according to the reports. Byron Kaye for Reuters: ‎ Epic Games had claimed Apple and Google’s fees for downloads of its games were too high, and that the phone makers made it impossible for users to download its alternative app store. The Australian judgment, which ran to 2,000 pages, was not released by the court on Tuesday, but media said a judge’s summary included the finding…

Epic Games has announced that Fortnite will return to iOS in Australia after Apple and Google were found to have broken competition law by banning ‌Epic Games‌ from their app stores. Federal judge Jonathan Beach found that both companies had broken the law by misusing their market power in the way they run their app stores. Apple was ruled to have engaged in conduct that prevents direct downloading or sideloading of apps and blocks developers from using alternative payment methods. Google was also found to have breached the law for the similar Google Play billing system. The victory is another win for Epic in its global legal campaign against Apple's App Store policies. Epic began legal proceedings against Apple in…

Apple News+ Audio is expanding to the UK, Canada, and Australia as of today. Apple debuted ‌Apple News‌ Audio way back in 2020, and it has been limited to U.S. ‌Apple News‌ subscribers until now. ‌Apple News‌+ Audio is primarily designed for ‌Apple News‌+ subscribers, and it provides professionally narrated versions of the best stories from ‌Apple News‌. Audio stories can be listened to in the ‌Apple News‌+ app or in the Podcasts app, with Apple highlighting popular stories from subscription publications like The New Yorker, Bloomberg, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, and more. Those who do not subscribe to ‌Apple News‌+ can hear previews of stories, and there's also a free News Today audio option that's available to all ‌Apple…