Apple Hit With Lawsuit From App Store Developer Over Copycat Apps

App developer Kosta Eleftheriou, who highlighted the problem of scam and copycat apps on the App Store last month, is now suing Apple for a variety of allegations, including negligence and anticompetitive conduct (via The Verge).

app store blue banner

Eleftheriou's complaint, filed against Apple in Santa Clara County, California, accuses the company of exploiting its control over iOS apps "to make billions of dollars in profits at the expense of small application developers and consumers."

Eleftheriou explains that his keyboard app for the Apple Watch, "FlickType," was targeted by poorly-functioning competing software that eroded his sales and App Store rankings through false advertising and the purchase of fake reviews. The lawsuit revolves around the allegation that Apple failed to do enough to combat the scams, even though it did later remove some of the copycat apps. Specifically, Apple is accused of false advertising, unfair competition, breach of its developer agreement, negligence, and fraud.

Apple entices software application developers like Plaintiff to develop innovative applications with the promise of a fair and secure App Store in which to sell them. In truth, Apple systematically flexes its monopoly muscle against potential competition through the App Store and profits from rampant fraudulent practices. If Apple cannot buy a desired application from a developer on the cheap, Apple attempts to crush that developer through exploitive fees and selective application of opaque and unreasonable constraints against the developer.

Apple attempted to acquire FlickType before purportedly raising "roadblock after roadblock" to the app being sold on the ‌App Store‌. Eleftheriou alleges that Apple actively chose to allow scam and copycat apps on the ‌App Store‌ in an effort to force him to "give up" and sell his app to Apple "at a discount," and claims that this period resulted in a year of lost revenue.

At the same time, Apple permits other developers that Apple does not view as real competition, including scam competitors, to peddle similar, inferior products because Apple profits from their sales. Scammers oftentimes use screenshots and videos taken from legitimate developer's applications and manipulate their ratings. Apple does little to police these practices because it profits from them. Apple then lies to its regulators by asserting that it must maintain its monopoly power over the sale of Apple-related applications to protect consumers, when, in fact, Apple lets them get ripped off and exploits the developers trying to deliver innovation to consumers.

Once the app was available for sale, the complaint alleges that revenue was severely hemorrhaged by a wave of scam and copycat software. Apple is accused of "intentionally" failing to police these apps, "while Apple continues to amass huge profits for itself."

Apple holds both its device users and developers hostage. Yet each time it faces antitrust claims, Apple justifies its monopoly by claiming it is necessary to protect its users and developers from unscrupulous conduct and ensure a fair competitive marketplace for the benefit of both. In truth, Apple turns a blind eye to rampant fraud and exploitation to make an easy profit.

The complaint joins a plethora of other ongoing lawsuits against Apple, amid increasing scrutiny over the company's control over the ‌App Store‌ and potential anticompetitive behavior.

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Top Rated Comments

iAFC Avatar
56 months ago
Was browsing the App Store the other day and noticed how it's absolutely littered with sh*tty apps from unknown developers that can't have any purpose other than scamming or data mining. I thought the whole reason of the "walled garden" was to avoid this.
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rob_2811 Avatar
56 months ago

Soooo... I fApple gave up its monopoly powers over its App Store, then the copycat software would go away why exactly?
No but they shouldn't be allowed to use the 'We are protecting you from bad actors' argument when their monopoly is called out.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MGrayson3 Avatar
56 months ago
Soooo... If Apple gave up its monopoly powers over its App Store, then the copycat software would go away why exactly?
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Smith288 Avatar
56 months ago
I made a Turkey call app 12 yrs ago and a bunch of copy cats came out when my app reached the top 10 in the sporting category. Just rip off my UI, take the sounds I made and repackaged it as “Turkey Sounds” or “Turkey Calling Free”. It’s annoying and depressing.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jonnysods Avatar
56 months ago
If this story is true then I agree with the lawsuit - I couldn't imagine the helpless feeling of having to go against Apple if they want your tech and put the squeeze on you by allowing fakers to push your revenue down. It reminds me of those scooby doo stories where they drive real estate down so the victim sells cheap just to get out.

Hope the truth comes out either way.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
56 months ago

No but maybe another App Store would arrive that actually police the apps and guarantee that they are legit and working. Then they might attract more customers and also get exclusives from developers that are tired of all the crap in the regular App Store.
But then what’s to stop copycats from just putting the copies on other app stores?

Doesn’t do the developer any good that store A has no copycats when store B still does, and store C is nothing BUT copycats because it does NO vetting.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)