The European Union has taken aim at iPadOS alongside iOS, criticizing the closed system and calling Apple a digital gatekeeper, and thanks to the Digital Markets Act (DMA), Epic Games’ battle royale game could be coming back to iPads.

The DMA, enacted by the EU, has forced Apple to play by the rules, resulting in the release of iOS 17.4, with more changes to come in 17.5. The new features are aimed at achieving fair market practices. Apple has been forced to allow sideloading of apps from outside the App Store, but the App Store and Safari browser have also been forced to change.

Epic Games announced that it is bringing Fortnite back to iPhone and iPad due to new EU regulations. In a press release, EU regulators called the iPadOS a digital gatekeeper (as they previously called iOS) and gave Apple six months to comply or face a fine. This has led to speculation that iPadOS will follow the example of iOS and open up the platform to developers outside the App Store, allowing alternative app stores to emerge with their own payment methods. (It was the proprietary payment method that prompted both Google and Apple to remove Fortnite from their platforms).

Today, the European Commission said that iPads will also need to comply with the Digital Markets Act 🙌

We’re moving full steam ahead to bring Fortnite and the @EpicGames Store to iPhones in the EU soon and iPads this year! 🎉 https://t.co/MHh6EGVinC

— Epic Games Newsroom (@EpicNewsroom) April 29, 2024

So Apple should follow the rules on its tablets as well, making the platform a little more open. Android, the rival operating system, is much more open by default (the Google Play store is much more accessible, though the number of fake, fraudulent apps is much higher), and so the company is still lagging behind. Tim Sweeney and his team have not yet said when we can expect Fortnite on iPad, but an iPhone version will be coming soon.

The DMA only applies to EU countries.

Source: WCCFTech