This is pretty stunning: Google tried to have docs detailing this sealed but a judge yesterday denied the order, so now we know a Google exec floated approaching Tencent about a hostile takeover of Epic.
Here’s the details. protocol.com/bulletins/goog… We knew this vaguely happened according to an amended complaint from Epic last month that was subject to seal. But we didn’t know the details until the judge denied the order to seal and Epic was able submit the unredacted docs.

Epic v. Apple is back for a final day in court for what are effectively closing arguments before the case is in the judge’s hands. Here’s my story from Friday on the surprising end to Tim Cook’s testimony. Will report any notable exchanges here on Twitter. protocol.com/apple-epic-tri… Both Apple and Epic are going to argue their case with a focus on market definition and remedy, with about three hours total scheduled. And then Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers will decide after a matter of weeks to months.

It’s the end. Epic v. Apple Day 15 starts in one hour with Apple CEO Tim Cook taking the stand, followed by Johns Hopkins’ Aviel Rubin.

That will be the end of testimony, with the trial scheduled to wrap up on Monday. But we’re expecting quite a bit of time for a verdict. Court is officially in session. And @tim_cook is about to take the stand after procedural stuff wraps.

Epic v. Apple Day 1400, which means only two days left of testimony. CEO Tim Cook is up first thing tomorrow. But today we’re back with experts and third-party witnesses.

- UCLA’s Dominique Hanssens
- Ocean Tomo CEO James Malackowski
- Aviel Rubin, JHU technical director Okay so this is funny. Epic’s lawyer brings up how Apple witness and expert Dominique Hanssens didn’t know whether a Microsoft Surface counted as a laptop or a tablet, even though he you owned on.

What’s a computer?? Who knows.

Epic v. Apple Day 13 is starting now with more testimony from Michael Schmid, the App Store’s head of game business development.

But the real show is Craig Federighi, SVP of Software Engineering, later in the day where we’ll hopefully dive into more Apple exec email threads. So Tim Cook is still on. I wonder because there was talk last week of an Apple witness who could not make it for trial and now I’m wondering if it’s Eddy Cue or someone else.

https://twitter.com/thedextriarchy/status/1395033163206889476

Epic v. Apple Day 12 starts early today at 8:00AM PT. We’re going to at some point soon get into cross of Apple Fellow Phil Schiller.

Yesterday Schiller dropped some stats we hadn’t heard before, but mostly defended the Apple narrative to a tee. protocol.com/bulletins/appl… Okay then. After some phone line shenanigans, Schiller is back on the stand still under direct testimony with Apple’s lawyer.

He’s being asked about ARKit, and how Apple developed it without charging developers extra, as in it’s another no-cost perk of being on iOS.

Epic v. Apple is back for Day 11, now about 2/3 over and with roughly one week left to go.

But this is where it should get very interesting. We have one more expert, Harvard’s James Mickens, on the stand today. And then a poential *nine hours!* of Apple’s Phil Schiller after. And we’re officially onto Phil Schiller as Epic has finished calling its witnesses. Schiller is an Apple fellow and former senior vice president of marketing, but he is still largely responsible for the App Store. Court is breaking soon but Schiller is a key witness for Apple.

Epic v. Apple Week 2 is today and starts in a few minutes. We’re moving into expert testimony, so it might get a little more dry than last week.

That said, we’re still finishing up with Epic’s Matthew Weissinger, vice president of marketing, first thing this morning. The judge asks Weissinger to explain how its dealings with Apple re: Fortnite on iOS were meaningfully different than with console makers. He calls Apple “opportunistic, transactional, impersonal” and did not feel like a partnership.

Epic v. Apple Day 5 kicks off at 111:15AM ET. Wrapping testimony of Apple's Trystan Kosmynka and then onto some Epic execs. Here’s today’s list:

- Kosmynka, senior director of marketing / app review
- Steve Allison, EGS chief
- Matthew Weissinger, Epic VP of marketing Kosmynka is being asked to define the difference between Roblox, Minecraft, and other games.

"There’s experiences within Roblox that we did not look at as a game,” Kosmynka says.

"I don’t understand the distinction your making,” the judge says.

Important testimony coming up in Epic v. Apple Day 4, including our first Apple exec:

- Thomas Ko, Epic senior director
- Matthew Fischer, App Store VP
- Trystan Kosmynka, in charge of app review
- Steven Allison, Epic Game Store chief
- Matthew Weissinger, Epic VP of marketing Thomas Ko, senior director at Epic, is now on the stand for direct examination from Epic laywer Brent Byars. Ko is head of head of online business strategy and operations and will be speaking to Fortnite distribution across platforms, among other things.

Day Three of Epic v Apple kicks off at 11:15AM ET & we’re hearing from more third party witnesses and our first Apple exec.

- Nvidia’s Aashish Patel
- Xbox VP Lori Wright
Andrew Grant, Epic engineering fellow
- Thomas Ko, Epic senior director
- Matthew Fischer, App Store VP Here’s a recap on Sweeney’s day-two testimony yesterday, in which we heard his thoughts on the definition of a video game and why he sees App Store fees as an existential issue for Fortnite’s future. protocol.com/apple-epic-tri…

Starting a shiny new thread for Epic v. Apple Day 2.

Trial resumes at 11:15AM ET with the continuation of @TimSweeneyEpic testimony, followed by Yoga Buddhi's Benjamin Simon, Nvidia’s Aashish Patel, and Xbox’s Lori Wright.

protocol.com/apple-epic-tri… Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers going through logistics in the court, and commenting on how hard staff have worked to fix day 1’s audio issues and ensure everyone can tune into the trial online.

"I am a big advocate of court access,” YGR says.

Epic Games v Apple kicks off this morning at 11:15AM ET. Here’s a guide on all the context surrounding Fortntie’s removal, the key witnesses in play, and core arguments you need to understand what’s at stake here. protocol.com/apple-epic-tri… Maybe I’ll learn how to spell Fortnite correctly the first time by the end of this trial.