Another day, another lawsuit. Privacy-focused software provider Proton has sued Apple, alleging anticompetitive practices at Apple’s App Store.
The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California and joins an existing class-action lawsuit against the tech giant. Proton — which makes Proton Mail, Proton Calendar, Proton Drive, and other apps — is a plaintiff in the case, but says it’s “representing and suing on behalf of a class of similarly situated developers.”
Here’s what Proton has to say in the lawsuit:Apple’s App Store policies have long been considered anti-competitive and illegal in many jurisdictions around the world. Most recently, on April 22, the European Commission of European competition law and fined it €500 million for violations. On April 30, as part of the Epic Games v. Apple case, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers found Apple willfully defied a court orderand created new anti-competitive barriers. The company’s misconduct was so extreme that the judge referred Apple to the US attorney for potential criminal prosecution. This comes on the heels of other countries around the world recognizing the need to reform Apple’s anti-competitive behavior, including the UK, Brazil, the Netherlands, and South Korea.
We believe that Apple’s conduct, as detailed in the complaint we filed, constitutes further violations of US antitrust law. Without this case, Apple could get away with behavior in the US that is already outlawed in the European Union. If this were to happen, American consumers, and developers focused on the American market, would have to pay higher prices for fewer choices, and be left at a disadvantage.
The suit is looking for changes to the App Store and monetary damages, which Proton says will be donated to organizations fighting for democracy and human rights.
