Apple Faces Developer Lawsuit After Defying App Store Injunction

[MacRumors]

Apple is being sued by developers unhappy with the company's "willful violation" of the anti-steering injunction the court ordered as part of its legal battle with Epic Games. A company called Pure Sweat Basketball has teamed up with law firm Hagens Berman to file a class-action lawsuit against Apple in an attempt to win some money for developers.

The lawsuit focuses on the recent Apple vs. Epic Games decision where Apple was found to be in contempt of court. Back in 2021, Apple was ordered to relax its anti-steering rules that prevent developers from directing customers to purchase options outside of the App Store. Because of appeals, Apple didn't have to comply until January 17, 2024, but when it did, Apple did so in a way that the court said was anticompetitive.

Apple forced developers to pay between 12 and 27 percent in commission when customers made a purchase through an app using an external payment link, which was an issue because developers also had to pay payment processors. Apple also had strict rules allowing only a single link and it used scare screens to try to prevent customers from making purchases outside of the App Store.

Apple last week was forced to change its U.S. App Store policies to support external payment links in apps with no restrictions, a decision that Apple is appealing, but the class action lawsuit argues that developers should be compensated for the trouble. It claims that Apple's moves to circumvent the injunction cost developers "billions of dollars" in revenue.

Due to Apple's anti-steering implementation, only 34 developers of 136,000 took advantage of the external payment link option before the terms were changed last week, and the lawsuit is seeking restitution for all U.S. developers who offered in-app purchases for non-zero prices between January 17, 2024 and when Apple fully complied with the original injunction.

Apple should be forced to disgorge all of its "ill-gotten gains," according to the lawsuit. The law firm that's handling the case, Hagens Berman, previously secured a $100 million settlement for developers over Apple's App Store fees.

Article Link: Apple Faces Developer Lawsuit After Defying App Store Injunction

 

[@Brett]

People or businesses who bring lawsuits should be forced to pay all legal fees for both parties when they lose. This might hit some of that in the head. Not sure if this will go anywhere though.

 

[rp2011]

That's what happens

 

[russell_314]

People or businesses who bring lawsuits should be forced to pay all legal fees for both parties when they lose. This might hit some of that in the head. Not sure if this will go anywhere though.

I totally agree, but unfortunately with our broken system, customers end up paying for it.

 

[MTWomg]

Apple is in the 'find out' phase of '**** around, find out'. Don't want to get sued? Don't engage in malicious compliance. More of this is to come.

 

[Chungry]

Just think, Apple could have avoided all this by listening to Phil

 

[MTWomg]

Just think, Apple could have avoided all this by listening to Phil

Or by listening to the Judge! Crazy idea, I know.

 

[Chungry]

Or by listening to the Judge! Crazy idea, I know.

Who was listening to the judge, madness!

 

[DocMultimedia]

Pathetic. Lawyers want money and everyone wants to sue. The modern world that has no possible winning outcome.

Soooo glad I didn't have kids.

 

[MTWomg]

Who was listening to the judge, madness!

They think they are Standard Oil or something. Just do whatever they want, they are bigger the law. They are finding out how wrong they are.

 

[Chungry]

Pathetic. Lawyers want money and everyone wants to sue. The modern world that has no possible winning outcome.

Soooo glad I didn't have kids.

That attitude is why the population is declining. What we need are good people such as yourself that know right from wrong and can pass that along to another generation. It seems to be in very short supply

 

[xander49x]

another developer shooting them self in the foot, I avoid them like the plague, will not use app's.

 

[Chungry]

another developer shooting them self in the foot, I avoid them like the plague, will not use app's.

What app?

 

[sw1tcher]

People or businesses who bring lawsuits should be forced to pay all legal fees for both parties when they lose. This might hit some of that in the head. Not sure if this will go anywhere though.

That'd be unfair to the little guy who has a legitimate case, but loses because he doesn't have the deep pockets to hire a team of lawyers like Apple does.

You see this sometimes in criminal cases where someone is innocent but is found guilty because he has to use a public defender that's overwhelmed by excessive case loads and so underfunded that the lawyer cannot hire all the people needed to conduct proper investigations.

 

[mwhite]

That attitude is why the population is declining. What we need are good people such as yourself that know right from wrong and can pass that along to another generation. It seems to be in very short supply

The world is overpopulated as it is. Less births overall on the planet is a good thing.

 

[Chungry]

The world is overpopulated as it is. Less births overall on the planet is a good thing.

I think we're made to believe that. I don't believe there are as many people on this rock as we are led to believe

 

[Rodney Williams]

This is going to be crazy.

 

[zahuh]

YES!!!! If anyone is defending Apple you're defending a company that was doing something deemed ILLEGAL, it's ILLEGAL. You may have a different opinion whether it should be or not but it's ILLEGAL now. They should not be able to KEEP the money they ILLEGALLY have. The money should go the CREATORS that made the app. Only speaking about in-app purchases. Not paid app, Apple should get a cut for paid apps. In-app purchases though are like buying something on a website and Apple for some reason getting a cut because you bought it on an Apple device. ILLEGAL!!!

 

[kenosecon]

Apple, just change the rules all apps need to pay full price in advance. No subscriptions allowed.
otherwise they can't use app store.

 

[Killbynumbers]

I hope Apple loses.

 

[victorvictoria]

Typical bottom-feeders whose only mission is to squeeze the big Apple. For the sole reason that it's where the money is.

 

[Macaholic868]

Wonderful news! Apple has clearly been in the wrong for years now since the initial judgement against it, having done just about everything in its power to violate the spirit of previous attempts by the court to remedy the situation. So much so that the judge had clearly had enough of their games this time around.

Apple has gone so far as to apparently either condone, or at a minimum to turn a blind eye to, one executive outright lying on the stand.

Given all of that I’ve got no problem with developers filing a massive lawsuit against Apple. They deserve it, they have deep enough pockets that they can afford it and hitting them in the wallet may be the only way to get them to take judicial orders seriously.

I’d argue that some actual jail time for the executive(s) who lied would be the most effective at deterring this kind of behavior moving forward but Apple’s actions cost developers money so Apple needs to not only make said developers whole financially but also needs to put up enough to cover their legal expenses and any other indirect damages suffered from their anti-competitive actions.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

It can't be that hard to follow the law, right? To obey a court decision?

 

[iPhoneFan5349]

People or businesses who bring lawsuits should be forced to pay all legal fees for both parties when they lose. This might hit some of that in the head. Not sure if this will go anywhere though.

Lol why? So if you don’t have money you shouldn’t seek justice?

 

[Mousse]

Good gawd. At least give Apple some time to implement the necessary changes.

Rome wasn't built in a day and all that.