Epic Games just delivered the data that proves Apple's latest iOS changes are working. The Fortnite maker says user drop-offs during app store installations plummeted 60% after Apple streamlined its process in iOS 18.6, slashing abandonment rates from 65% to just 25% - finally matching what Epic sees on desktop platforms.
Epic Games just handed Apple a rare public victory lap, and the numbers tell a story that regulatory watchers have been waiting months to hear. The Fortnite maker's latest data shows that Apple's streamlined installation process in iOS 18.6 has cut user drop-offs by a staggering 60%, proving that Europe's Digital Markets Act pressure is finally translating into real-world results.
The transformation is dramatic. Before iOS 18.6, a crushing 65% of users attempting to install Epic's game store on iPhones simply gave up midway through the process. Today, that figure sits at 25% - a conversion rate that finally mirrors what Epic sees on Windows and macOS, where users expect the freedom to install software from multiple sources.
This isn't just about Epic's bottom line. The data represents the first concrete evidence that Apple's initial DMA compliance strategy - what developers called "malicious compliance" - was actively sabotaging alternative app stores through what Epic termed "scare screens." These were multiple warning dialogs that painted third-party app installations as potentially dangerous, creating friction that Europe's regulators clearly viewed as anticompetitive.
The EU made its position crystal clear earlier this year, slapping Apple with a $568 million fine for failing to properly implement DMA requirements. That penalty appears to have been the wake-up call Apple needed. In July, the company released iOS 18.6 with a dramatically simplified installation flow that replaces multiple warning screens with a single, factual notice about potential feature differences.
"The new process includes only one screen showing users that they might miss some features, such as subscription management offered by the App Store," according to Apple's updated documentation. The screen also informs users that alternative app stores will handle their data directly - a straightforward disclosure rather than the fear-inducing warnings of the previous system.
But Epic isn't ready to declare victory. Despite acknowledging the improvement, the company continues to criticize what it sees as Apple's broader strategy to maintain App Store dominance through technical and financial barriers. Epic specifically targets Apple's "core technology fee," notarization requirements, and approval policies that it argues make alternative distribution deliberately cumbersome for developers.
The broader context reveals why this data matters beyond Epic's specific grievances. Apple has long argued that iOS requires tighter security controls than macOS because mobile devices face different threat vectors. During Epic's original lawsuit, Apple's software chief Craig Federighi testified that giving iOS the same installation freedom as Mac computers would result in the "platform being overrun by malware."
Yet Epic's new conversion numbers suggest users are comfortable making informed choices when presented with clear, non-manipulative information. The 25% drop-off rate on iOS now matches desktop platforms where users routinely install software from multiple sources without catastrophic security consequences.
The ripple effects extend beyond Apple's ecosystem. Epic is simultaneously battling Google over similar installation friction on Android, where the company says lengthy processes and warning screens create artificial barriers to competition. "Google misleads users by suggesting that apps from competitors like Epic Games might be harmful," the gaming company argues.
Google's legal position looks increasingly precarious. Last year, a U.S. court ordered the search giant to open up the Play Store to third-party app stores, and in July, Google lost its appeal against that decision, suggesting Epic's pressure campaign is gaining momentum across both major mobile platforms.
For developers watching this space, Epic's data provides the clearest evidence yet that user experience, not security concerns, drives installation abandonment. When Apple removed artificial friction, user behavior immediately aligned with desktop patterns - suggesting that mobile users are perfectly capable of making informed decisions about software installation when given straightforward information rather than fear-based warnings.
The timing couldn't be more significant for the broader app economy. With Europe's DMA enforcement ramping up and U.S. courts forcing similar changes, Epic's 60% improvement demonstrates that alternative app distribution can work seamlessly when platform holders stop actively discouraging it through user interface manipulation.
Epic's 60% drop-off reduction proves that Apple's DMA compliance isn't just regulatory theater - it's delivering real results for alternative app stores. While Epic continues fighting broader policy battles, this data shows European pressure is working, forcing both Apple and Google to remove artificial barriers that were clearly suppressing competition. For the app economy, it's early evidence that users embrace choice when platforms stop actively discouraging it.
