On Thursday, in California, a judge in California was assigned a class action lawsuit directed at Apple’s App Store and filed by an “edutainment” app maker.
Primary Productions, a New Jersey-based Maine-based company, first filed charges in the U.S. District Court for the Maine District, alleging that Apple harms developers by applying monopolistic practices to its management of the App Store. The firm tried to inform users about blockchain wallets through an app, which was denied entry into the App Store after reviewing it.
Calling the tech giant a “stealthy monopolist,” the complaint and a modified version filed in August, have issues with Apple developer fees, commissions, the third-party app package, the acquisition of third-party applications, the “blacklist”, etc. called “sherlocking,” search suppression, application rejections, and other issues.
The proposed class action seeks a minimum of $ 200 billion, with $ 900 million directed at plaintiff Primary Productions. Apple moved to relocate the case to California in August.
Most of the complaints listed in the complaint have been cited in separate cases and in government investigations (national and international), including a class action lawsuit filed by developers in 2019 to oppose in part the fees and commissions. Last week, Apple and the developers reached an agreement that, if accepted by the court, will resolve the case with the creation of a $ 100 million fund for small developers and changes in the App’s policies. Store that includes bonuses for app makers to contact customers about alternative payment methods.
More recently, Apple on Wednesday announced plans to allow “reader” apps to connect to the web for account management. The concession was made to close an investigation into the App Store policy conducted by the Japan Fair Trade Commission.
First Productions ’complaint cites six offenses of violating the Sherman Act, breach of contract, breach of the good faith and justice pact, and violation of the Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). U.S. Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley was assigned to the case Thursday.