Microsoft allows third-party storefronts on its app store

Microsoft Corp. said on Tuesday it will allow Epic Games Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and other firms to integrate their app stores into the technology giant's marketplace, giving more options to third-party developers.

The Redmond, Washington-based company also said it would not take a cut from app developers' revenue, when the apps manage their own in-app payment systems.

"Microsoft is again leading the industry forward with Windows, now an open platform with an open store," Epic Games chief executive officer Tim Sweeney tweeted.

The move comes as Epic Games and Apple Inc. have been locked in a legal dispute since last year when the "Fortnite" creator tried to get around Apple's 30% fee on some in-app purchases on the App Store by launching its own in-app payment system.

Developers have long criticised Apple's commissions of between 15% and 30% on many App Store purchases, what some developers see as an opaque and unpredictable app-vetting process.

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