Paul Stenhouse: Fortnite's return to the iOS store and the Pixel Watch 3's lifesaving feature

Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

Fortnite is back on the iOS store

But it's only for those in the EU, thanks to their Digital Markets Act. It's forced Apple to offer a pathway for app developers to sell their software without needing to go through Apple's official app store.

Epic says Apple has a monopoly on the market, and uses that position to force developers to give up to 30% of their revenue to them. They reportedly earn $70 billion in app store revenue each year. The "Epic Games Store" is the highest profile launch of an alternative app store yet, with a large fan base eager to get back to playing Fortnite on their phones after four years. Apple has not made the process for installing easy though - there are warning screens to get through, settings to update, which Epic says is intentional to make the experience as terrible as possible.
Apple has launched a new fee for successful off-app store they're calling a "core technology fee", to try and recoup some of the revenue they'll inevitably lose.
This is going to be a case study for other brands to decide if it's worth the effort to create their own store.

Google's Pixel Watch 3 has a lifesaving feature

If you have a heart attack when you're alone, you have virtually no chance of receiving resuscitation. This new "loss of pulse" feature of the Pixel Watch will give you a chance. It first uses the regular heart-rate sensor to detect a pulse, then if it can't find one will use infrared and motion sensors to help decide if you need help. An alarm will sound, giving you a chance to cancel the call for emergency services.

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