Epic to launch iOS and Android store with controversial 12% cut

In the ongoing saga of tech giants battling over App Store fees and policies, Epic Games is being accused of hypocrisy as it attempts to introduce its own 12 percent commission store.

The gaming company – joined by heavyweights like Meta, Microsoft, X, and Match Group – is protesting against Apple's handling of App Store fees and its anti-steering policy in California.

Following a series of legal battles between Apple and Epic, which mostly ended in Apple's favour, a...

21 March 2024 | Android

Game development legend John Carmack quits Meta

Legendary game developer John Carmack has quit his executive consultant position at Meta.

Carmack, the co-founder of id Software and lead programmer of gaming classics including Doom and Wolfenstein, posted a scathing letter detailing his decision:

This is the end of my decade in VR.

I have mixed feelings.

Quest 2 is almost exactly what I wanted to see from the beginning – mobile hardware, inside out tracking, optional PC streaming, 4k (ish)...

20 December 2022 | Gaming

Dr Jaime Gonzalo, Huawei: On tackling global challenges with HMS

Developer caught up with Dr Jaime Gonzalo, VP of Huawei Consumer Mobile Services for Europe, to learn more about the company’s latest ecosystem developments.

Huawei is no stranger to global challenges and discusses them openly. A major blow was dealt to the firm in 2019 when the US added Huawei to its ‘Entity List’ which bans American companies from trading with it.

Regardless of views on whether such moves are warranted or politically-motivated, it’s hard not to...

17 November 2022 | App Stores

Apple may unveil its mixed reality headset in January

We could finally see Apple’s much-anticipated mixed reality headset in just a couple of months.

According to a new report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is gearing up to unveil the headset early next year. The headset is expected to offer a seamless transition between virtual and augmented reality.

Unlike efforts from Meta, Apple has reportedly designed its mixed reality headset for short stints of communication, content viewing, and gaming. The metaverse is...

15 November 2022 | Gaming

‘Ask Apple’ is an interactive Q&A series for developers

Apple is introducing an interactive Q&A series for developers that will provide opportunities to connect directly with the company’s experts.

‘Ask Apple’ is an extension to Cupertino’s existing ‘Tech Talks’ and ‘Meet with App Store Experts’ initiatives. Apple says the new series will “provide developers with even more opportunities to connect directly with Apple experts for insight, support, and feedback.”

“We’ve been listening to feedback...

12 October 2022 | App Stores

Kuo: Don’t expect Apple’s mixed reality headset at WWDC 2022

Renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says not to expect Apple’s anticipated mixed reality headset at WWDC 2022.

Kuo’s comment arrives after a trademark filing for ‘RealityOS’ – Apple’s OS for its mixed reality headset – was uncovered. The filing suggests an official announcement of the headset is getting close, but Apple isn’t quite ready for the grand reveal.

https://twitter.com/mingchikuo/status/1531518877498490880

As with any current hardware launch,...

1 June 2022 | iOS

Judge rejects Apple’s bid to dismiss lawsuit by Cydia’s creator

California District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has denied Apple’s bid to dismiss a lawsuit brought against the company by Cydia’s creator.

Cydia was a third-party app store which, as you will be well aware, is officially a no-no in Apple’s books. The store was popular among the “jailbreak” community and even pre-dates the official App Store.

The creator of Cydia, Jay Freeman (AKA ‘Saurik’), ended up shutting his app store down in...

30 May 2022 | App Stores

Web3: Ethereum leads in developers, falling behind in activity

According to a16z’s 2022 State of Crypto report, Ethereum is maintaining its lead in web3 developers but rivals are overtaking in activity.

The report opens with some history of the various web eras and why web3 has many people excited:

Web1 (~1990-2005) – Based on open protocols, decentralised, and community-governed. However, relatively basic in terms of functionality.Web2 (~2005-present) – Siloed, centralised services with value and content ownership granted to a...

18 May 2022 | Blockchain

As demand for enterprise apps booms, agility can be found in low-code solutions

For the modern business, the ability to adapt to rapidly shifting changes within your industry, supply chain and workforce is crucial to long-term success. How quickly a business can pivot to make the most of trends and adapt to changing circumstances is made easier by embracing digital transformation and seeking out tools to make your business more flexible and scalable and therefore more effective, sustainable and profitable. 

As Gartner predicts that low-code will account...

5 May 2022 | Platforms

AWS Amplify Studio helps developers quickly build web apps

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced that its Amplify Studio visual development environment for web apps is now generally available.

Amplify Studio helps developers to build fully-customisable web apps on AWS with minimal coding. Until now, the solution has been in preview.

“Developers tell us that they want tools that help make them more productive when building on AWS without sacrificing the precision they need to deliver tailored experiences to their...

22 April 2022 | Cloud