Green bubbles

[9:10 a.m. PT]

Epic lawyers at one point have raised the argument that iMessage is one of the features Apple uses to lock users into iOS. The service, which offers encrypted chat by default and makes it easier to share video and photos. Additionally, when you use iMessage, the chat bubbles are blue. When you use SMS, like when texting with an Android user, the chat bubbles are green.

Some people argue that the status of having a blue bubble keeps people on iPhones, especially since iMessage isn’t available for Android. Cook disagreed. He noted that it’s easy to turn off iMessage if people want.

Generally, Cook said he believes it’s easy to switch from Apple to Android. He noted that photos in particular are easy to move between Google, Facebook and Apple. And, he added, the popularity of streaming music and movies means you just need to re-download the app and sign in on your new device.

Billboard

[8:51 a.m. PT]

Epic and Apple spent much of the past three weeks arguing over one sticking point, that Apple doesn’t even allow app developers to have a notice in their app saying customers can go to their site to pay a lower price to buy something or sign up or whatever else.

Cook sees allowing developers to point users to their website for discounts as akin to putting up a sign outside Best Buy saying they’d get a better deal on an iPhone at the Apple Store. “It’s the same kind of thing.”

Economic “miracle”

[8:46 a.m. PT]

Cook talked about the impact of the App Store. “I think it’s been an economic miracle,” he says. Apple started with 500 apps, and now has 1.8 million. He notes that almost 2 million people are estimated to have had jobs created through the app store. Commerce, according to one study, he says is half a trillion. “It’s likely been one of the most important job segments out there in a growth point of view over the last decade,” he added.

One of the most important issues

[8:26 a.m. PT]

Cook began his testimony by bolstering Apple’s argument before the court that its control is about its commitment to privacy and security. “Privacy, from our point of view, is one of the most important issues of the century. And safety and security are the foundation that privacy is built upon.”

He also equated these issues with civil liberties and freedom of expression.

Judge gives indications

[8:12 a.m. PT]

Rogers, who will be ruling on this case instead of a jury, has tipped her hand a couple times during the trial. She’s expressed doubt at some of both company’s arguments — in Epic’s case, the game company’s argument that Apple is a bad marketing partner. And in Apple’s case, its acknowledgement that it hasn’t studied whether other app stores or app moderation companies could do a better job than Apple’s App Store review team.

As court was starting Friday, Rogers asked lawyers to include in their final filings some discussion of “remedies,” or how to solve this problem. She said she’s still debating the question of whether Apple has an illegal monopoly over its own products. And she said the lack of competition for 30% commissions worries her.

Cook is in court

[7:53 a.m. PT]

A group of reporters were waiting for Cook outside the courtroom today, but rumor was he entered in through the garage. So, no iconic photos of him walking up.