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| Apple refused Microsoft's request to exceed its commission |
Apple and Epic Games testing has revealed more details about the behind-the-scenes negotiations between iPhone makers and companies like Microsoft, including a commitment to bypassing App Store commissions.
This 2012 email series focused on the Office suite of programs Microsoft released for iPads and Apple's response.
According to the letter, Apple executives asked whether Microsoft will attend WWDC's annual developer conference this year.
Microsoft declined this, saying it wasn't ready to talk about iPad plans yet.
Microsoft had two requirements: Phil Schiller and Eddie Q must meet with their CEOs, and Apple agreed to that requirement.
Microsoft also asked Apple to allow users to be redirected to its website to collect purchase information and to bypass the App Store commission by 30%.
Schiller rejected the request, citing in an email that Apple is the business operator and the person collecting the revenue.
Apple charges developers a 30% commission on apps sold in the App Store and in-app purchases.
This is very normal, and while Apple has better relationships with some developers than others, which may give these developers better visibility, the company has never shied away from a 30% commission.
Of course, Microsoft wanted to make an exception to this rule, but Apple flatly rejected it.
While it is not surprising that Apple turned this down, given Apple and Microsoft's decades-long relationship, the two companies can still find a compromise.
It wasn't until 2014, when Satya Nadella took over as CEO from Steve Ballmer, that Microsoft released an Office software package for the iPad.
Other documents and letters leaked during the lawsuit by Apple and Epic Games indicate that the two companies have developed a friendly business relationship over the past few years.
Apple appears to want to convince Epic Games to support ARKit.
Epic Games executives said in an email sent in 2017 that they had a meeting with Apple to discuss the use of face tracking technology on the iPhone to create animated characters.
ARKit talks between the two companies will continue into 2020.
After the joint release of iPad Pro and LiDAR, Apple managers offered Epic Games to meet with the ARKit team. She also said that she could promote Epic Games on WWDC this year.