Proton Sues Apple Over Anticompetitive Fees and Practices
▼ Summary
– Proton has sued Apple, alleging anticompetitive practices in the App Store, including monopolistic control over smartphone, app distribution, and payment processing markets.
– The lawsuit seeks changes to the App Store and monetary damages, which Proton plans to donate to democracy and human rights organizations.
– Proton joins a class-action suit with other developers, challenging Apple’s policies, such as restricting direct customer communication and alternative payment methods.
– The suit highlights Apple’s App Store as a tool for suppressing free speech, citing app removals in markets like Russia and China, including Proton’s VPN app.
– Proton argues Apple’s fees and restrictions, like blocking default app settings and background processing for non-Apple apps, harm consumers and developers.
Privacy-focused tech company Proton has filed a lawsuit against Apple, accusing the iPhone maker of maintaining an unfair monopoly through its App Store policies. The legal action targets Apple’s control over app distribution, payment processing, and what Proton describes as excessive fees that stifle competition. The case, filed in California, seeks both policy changes and financial compensation, with any awarded damages pledged to support human rights and democratic initiatives.
This lawsuit joins a growing wave of legal challenges against Apple’s dominance in the mobile ecosystem. Proton, known for its encrypted email, cloud storage, and productivity apps, argues that Apple’s 30% commission on in-app purchases functions like a tax on digital commerce, calling the fees unjustified given the company’s massive profits. The filing references Apple’s recent legal victory against Epic Games, where a judge ruled Apple wasn’t a monopoly but still mandated changes to payment rules for U.S. developers.
Unlike Epic’s case, which centered on gaming, Proton’s complaint highlights broader systemic issues. It details how Apple’s policies prevent developers from communicating directly with users about alternative payment options or discounts available outside the App Store. The lawsuit also points to technical restrictions, such as blocking Proton Drive from background processing, a privilege granted to Apple’s iCloud service, and preventing Proton Calendar from becoming a default iOS app despite Apple allowing such substitutions for email and browsers.
A striking element of Proton’s argument involves global free speech concerns. The company alleges Apple’s centralized App Store enables authoritarian regimes to censor apps by demanding their removal, citing instances where Proton’s VPN service faced takedown threats for promoting access to censored content. “When one corporation controls all software distribution, it becomes a tool for oppression,” Proton stated, framing the lawsuit as a fight for internet freedom.
Apple has yet to publicly respond to the allegations. Legal experts note this case could test whether recent antitrust rulings create openings for smaller developers to challenge platform gatekeepers. With regulators worldwide scrutinizing Apple’s practices, the outcome may influence how app stores operate across the tech industry.
(Source: TechCrunch)
