Apple rejecting apps is unfair competition, declare rejected app developers

Posted:
in iOS edited September 2021
A group of developers accusing Apple's App Store of being a monopoly has updated their lawsuit in an attempt to draw an argument from the Epic Games v. Apple case.

Credit: James Yarema/Unsplash
Credit: James Yarema/Unsplash


The class action lawsuit was first filed in July 2021, and claimed that Apple was engaging in anti-competitive business practices on the App Store. On Friday, the plaintiffs added an addendum to the lawsuit that clarifies "the impact of Epic on our case."

More specifically, the lawsuit addendum uses the fact that Apple was found guilty of violating California Unfair Competition Law with its anti-steering practices. The judge ordered Apple to stop such practices, which included prohibiting developers from advertising third-party payment options within apps.

The updated complaint tries to draw a comparison between anti-steering practices and the removal of apps that don't adhere to Apple's developer guidelines.

"In this case, Apple prevents open, cross-platform information when it disallows valid apps," the complaint reads. "Just like forbidding Epic to communicate with users about their platform, here, Plaintiffs are forbidden by Apple from informing the iOS user about their platform & applications, which were potentially lifesaving in the case of Coronavirus Reporter."

That "open cross-platform information" line comes from U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers' decision in Epic Games v. Apple. In her ruling, Gonzalez Rogers was specifically talking about cross-platform payment information within apps.

However, the lawsuit claims that Apple restricted "cross-platform information" by rejecting the plaintiff's apps. Or, as the lawsuit puts it, "valid and important mobile apps."

One of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit is Coronavirus Reporter, a free Covid-19 contact tracing app. Apple doesn't allow coronavirus apps that aren't from recognized medical or government organizations, which is why it rejected Coronavirus Reporter. The plaintiff, however, argued that Apple was attempting to maintain a contact tracing "monopoly."

Other apps included in the complaint include a Bitcoin lottery app that distribute free cryptocurrency and a Caller ID app.

Apple filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. On Friday, the plaintiffs filed another motion to strike Apple's.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 39
    Like my wife always tells me when I complain about some design feature or lack of in my new car, she tells me to design my own car.  The developers are free to design their own smartphone and App Store like I can start my own car company.  I like Apple protecting me and my smartphone.  When Apple stops doing that I’ll go back to a dumb flip phone!
    magman1979thtviclauyycleavingthebiggbaconstangwilliamlondonDnykjpRfC6fnBsDogpersonmcdavewatto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 39
    elijahgelijahg Posts: 2,753member
    rhbellmor said:
    Like my wife always tells me when I complain about some design feature or lack of in my new car, she tells me to design my own car.  The developers are free to design their own smartphone and App Store like I can start my own car company.  I like Apple protecting me and my smartphone.  When Apple stops doing that I’ll go back to a dumb flip phone!
    So no one should ever complain about any design feature in anything because that person should just design their own product instead? Best tell Apple to close the beta programs then. And shut down Github while you're at it, too.
    muthuk_vanalingamdarkvadermagman1979
  • Reply 3 of 39
    Walmart won't carry my shirt, they are ANIT COMPETITIVE!  Ford won't use my break pads! They are a MONOPOLY! And X-Box won't play Playstation games! UNFAIR! They don't seem to understand the words they use. What they want is - everything their way. It's not their store. I keep asking The Gap to carry my pants, but they refuse too. 
    mike1DAalsethmagman1979llamaviclauyycleavingthebiggbaconstangwilliamlondongilly33Dogperson
  • Reply 4 of 39
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,273member
    Bet these losers received a lot of participation trophies growing up.
    edited September 2021 mac_dogmagman1979llamakingofsomewherehotviclauyyc12StrangersfahlmanbaconstangwilliamlondonDogperson
  • Reply 5 of 39
    As an iPhone user, explain why I should not be able to use my iPhone to mine cryptocurrency if I really want to. The GPU on the iPhone 13 Pro Max is pretty beefy. It should be able to mine a little bit at least. Seriously, how dare Apple tell me what I can and cannot do with any computer I own, even my iPhone?
    elijahgnadriel
  • Reply 6 of 39
    A modest proposal: An official way to jail break iOS devices. If you do it, you can install and run any software you want but you lose some things. Among these is access to iCloud and the official App Store. You get most of the built in Apple apps. You can still check stock prices and the weather but you can't save any information on iCloud. This would make older iOS devices a lot more useful rather than languishing in a draw somewhere. Think of it as a form of recycling.
    elijahgnadriel
  • Reply 7 of 39
    mike1 said:
    Bet these losers received a lot of participation trophies growing up.
    Damn, I’m going to start using this a LOT!
    magman1979viclauyycbaconstangwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 8 of 39
    rhbellmor said:
    Like my wife always tells me when I complain about some design feature or lack of in my new car, she tells me to design my own car.  The developers are free to design their own smartphone and App Store like I can start my own car company.  I like Apple protecting me and my smartphone.  When Apple stops doing that I’ll go back to a dumb flip phone!
    Your wife is crazy.  Is that all you have to do? DESIGN?  What about manufacture, test, MAINTAIN?

    Most people don’t have the wherewithal to even *import* a non-US version of a car, much less do all that.  
    darkvadermagman1979williamlondon
  • Reply 9 of 39
    But an Android! You are not forced by Apple to buy their services or devices.
    magman1979leavingthebiggdanoxwatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 10 of 39
    elijahgelijahg Posts: 2,753member
    pwrmac said:
    But an Android! You are not forced by Apple to buy their services or devices.
    Well, you don't have much choice once you've bought far enough into the ecosystem. If I was to switch to Android I'd need to re-buy all my apps, bin the HomePods, bin the Airpods, accessories etc in addition to buying the phone itself.
    nadriel
  • Reply 11 of 39
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    elijahg said:
    pwrmac said:
    But an Android! You are not forced by Apple to buy their services or devices.
    Well, you don't have much choice once you've bought far enough into the ecosystem. If I was to switch to Android I'd need to re-buy all my apps, bin the HomePods, bin the Airpods, accessories etc in addition to buying the phone itself.
    So instead you’ll just stay and continue to bitch, whine, complain, rage, and express your desire for the government to take Apple down so you can do what you want to on a platform that you despise. Yeah, right, that’s logical.
    mac_dogmagman1979llamathtkingofsomewherehotviclauyycfahlmanleavingthebiggwilliamlondonDetnator
  • Reply 12 of 39
    elijahg said:
    rhbellmor said:
    Like my wife always tells me when I complain about some design feature or lack of in my new car, she tells me to design my own car.  The developers are free to design their own smartphone and App Store like I can start my own car company.  I like Apple protecting me and my smartphone.  When Apple stops doing that I’ll go back to a dumb flip phone!
    So no one should ever complain about any design feature in anything because that person should just design their own product instead? Best tell Apple to close the beta programs then. And shut down Github while you're at it, too.
    They are not a consumer requesting a feature. They are a business who wants to the government to for another business to do business with them no matter what. Apple makes zero from the COVID tracking app the developed with Google to ensure it was cross platform, secure and unable to be highjacked by criminals and scammers. 

    Apple gets to decide who uses their goodwill and consumer trust. That is especially important when there is a real threat making it easier for scammers to exploit users if given the chance. That is likely who these people are and they are mad that Apple cut them off at the pass. 
    llamaroundaboutnownadrielviclauyycfahlmanwilliamlondongilly33DetnatorDogpersonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 39
    DAalsethDAalseth Posts: 2,783member
    The updated complaint tries to draw a comparison between anti-steering practices and the removal of apps that don't adhere to Apple's developer guidelines.

    Apples and Oranges. 

    Having standards people must meet to take part is an ANCIENT practice that predates the Apple Store, computers, hell, the Industrial Age. You want to take part in this medieval tournament? This is what you have to do to qualify. You want to sell your wares outside of the Roman Colosseum? Here’s what you have to do. 

    It is not in any way, shape, form, or concept anything whatsoever like steering customers toward your own products.

    edited September 2021 llamathtroundaboutnowfahlmanbaconstangwilliamlondonviclauyycDetnatorh2pwatto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 39
    A modest proposal: An official way to jail break iOS devices. If you do it, you can install and run any software you want but you lose some things. Among these is access to iCloud and the official App Store. You get most of the built in Apple apps. You can still check stock prices and the weather but you can't save any information on iCloud. This would make older iOS devices a lot more useful rather than languishing in a draw somewhere. Think of it as a form of recycling.
    Will never work. The whiners will always find more to whine about. If they got your "official" jailbreak with it's limitations, they would just whine about the limitations. Apple's best stance is to keep things the way they are.
    viclauyycwatto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 39
    what is wrong with every developers here. ok I can't say is every developers but it's only the selfish and stupid one. if you don't like apple rules then go create your own smart phone and App Store then come and compete with apple then. you are using their service but then you complain about it, if you don't like it then don't use it. talking about fairness, none of those developers are fair to their customers either. bully kids try to take over the world!
    12StrangersbaconstangviclauyycDetnatorwatto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 39
    All the large sized app development companies should just create a consortium and develop their own app store using some open version of Android. It will take a long time but they can put the premium versions of their apps on that store and the non premium versions on the Apple and Google stores. Slowly transition away from their reliance on Apple and Google.
    Detnatorwatto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 39
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,926member
    “maintain a contact tracing "monopoly."”

    Is that a thing? There are several Covid apps. If your Covid app isn’t from recognized medical or government organizations, it might as well be misinformation. 
    baconstanggilly33viclauyycDogpersontheotherphilwatto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 39
    All the large sized app development companies should just create a consortium and develop their own app store using some open version of Android. It will take a long time but they can put the premium versions of their apps on that store and the non premium versions on the Apple and Google stores. Slowly transition away from their reliance on Apple and Google.
    Not a bad idea. The government will then go after the "consortium" for anti-competitive behavior and anti-trust. Then they'll know how that feels...
    gilly33viclauyycwatto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 39
    rhbellmor said:
    Like my wife always tells me when I complain about some design feature or lack of in my new car, she tells me to design my own car.  The developers are free to design their own smartphone and App Store like I can start my own car company.  I like Apple protecting me and my smartphone.  When Apple stops doing that I’ll go back to a dumb flip phone!
    That’s what Homer Simpson did.
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 39
    lkrupp said:
    elijahg said:
    pwrmac said:
    But an Android! You are not forced by Apple to buy their services or devices.
    Well, you don't have much choice once you've bought far enough into the ecosystem. If I was to switch to Android I'd need to re-buy all my apps, bin the HomePods, bin the Airpods, accessories etc in addition to buying the phone itself.
    So instead you’ll just stay and continue to bitch, whine, complain, rage, and express your desire for the government to take Apple down so you can do what you want to on a platform that you despise. Yeah, right, that’s logical.
    Well you went on a tangent attacking him... I don't think he wants to bring Apple down, when Apple does something he doesn't like he has the right to bitch, whine, complain and rage as much as he likes. Apple has changed a lot over the years and will change, and people who've been in the ecosystem for a long time might get stuck on some decision by Apple that makes their life hard (or something like it).

    Loud and widespread complaining is pretty effective way to attract Apple's attention and to bring out change, same with other big companies really. I'd really like them allowing side loading apps, because it's a pain in the butt to renew the certificate every so often for Apps that I'm never putting on AppStore. Please leave Android out of this, I'm really not interested in it. I'd rather have something I want on hardware I already own and like.

    Back to the topic, with everything going to the shitty subscription models I'm really on with Apple on this. Exhausting business milking people, more power to users and developers, but really against greedy practices skimming on pennies on a platform they're indebted to for their success.
    edited September 2021 elijahgwilliamlondonmuthuk_vanalingam
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