The Epic Games Store has reported an increase in downloads on iOS following changes implemented by Apple in response to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). According to a recent blog post by Epic, the drop-off rate for installations on iOS has decreased from 65% to approximately 25% since the launch of iOS 18.6 in July.
The updated process for installing alternative app marketplaces was introduced in iOS 18.6 after the European Commission expressed concerns in April about difficulties users faced while installing apps through these alternative distribution channels. Epic highlighted that the installation process has been streamlined from 15 steps down to 6, removing a previously confusing “scare screen” and an issue that left users unable to proceed in the iOS Settings.
Epic noted that this enhancement has led to a success rate for iOS users installing the Epic Games Store that is beginning to approach that of Windows and Mac users. However, Epic claims that further improvements are necessary. The company asserts that Apple’s practices still hinder third-party app stores, allegedly violating the DMA. Consequently, developers have been less inclined to distribute games via the Epic Games Store on iOS compared to Android.
Moreover, Epic criticized Google’s installation process on Android, stating that its 12-step flow and user interface pose challenges that result in more than 50% of attempts to install the Epic Games Store being unsuccessful. This context raises questions about the ongoing competitive landscape for app distribution on both iOS and Android platforms.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/789421/epic-games-store-ios-android-installations