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Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Conspiracy Against X and Grok

deconstruct60 said:
Apple absolutely collects data. They tend to anonymous the data, but they do collect from users. If click all the default install options there is data collected.

Apple ABSOLUTELY cashes that billion dollar check from Google every year for selling/pimping out the user base one search default. For all practical purpose Apple and Google are joint owners of that enterprise.
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This is a bit disingenuous.

Apple does collect data, but where they differ form Google is:

- Amount of data collected. Google collects orders of magnitude more data than Apple.
- Where they collect data from. Google is ingrained into every corner of the Internet and gathers data from just about anywhere. This very MacRumors webpage has 6 a google trackers embedded. Apple has no web trackers.
- What they use it for. Google collects reams of data so they can sell targeted ads (almost 80% of their revenue). Apple collects data for product improvement and a tiny fraction for ads (which were requested by app developers and publishers).
 
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nortonandreev said:
I mean, I’m kinda willing to slide with him on this one. It’s obvious that Apple can partner with whoever they want for Siri. But if competitors’ chatbot apps don’t appear in the App Store, that’s anti-competitive and obviously wrong of Apple to be doing.
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Except Apple doesn’t do this. They’ve been accused before and nobody has ever been able to prove it.

Apps appear in rankings based on several factors. Musk, Ek or Sweeney can whine all they want, but a whine isn’t evidence.
 
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germanbeer007 said:
I'm responding to your use of Google Trends to support the idea that Grok isn't popular. Google Trends showing DeepSeek at a lower trend compared to Grok, yet it reached #1. Therefore it invalidates the Google Trends evidence.
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The largest smartphone market in the world doesn't use Google but many of them downloaded DeepSeek. The number of iPhone users in China is probably only second to the U.S.

Outside of China, we can use Google Trends to get an idea of what's popular.
 
Funny that this lawsuit is coming from the guy who unfairly discriminated against the Disney+ app on all his cars when he had a fight with a Disney executive. I guess it’s OK when Musk does it on a system he has total control of (monopoly?) but not when others do it in a virtual storefront that has actual competition on it.
 
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You should read up on the DMA. Not appearing on Apple's editorial "Must Have" app list isn't gatekeeping.
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While I am not a Grok user or Elon defender at all (I am currently having to look for a new job thanks to DOGE), I'd argue this lawsuit and the DMA both arise from the same mindset. In fact, this is a great example of why I am so against regulations like the DMA.

iOS, Siri integrations, and the App Store are Apple products. Absent very good reason (and in my opinion, "I want to use Apple's IP to reach Apple's customers without paying Apple", “Apple doesn't let my app integrate with the system", and "Apple didn’t feature my app in the App Store” don't qualify as good reasons, let alone very good ones), regulators and courts shouldn’t compel access, integration, or ranking to Apple's products.

In my opinion, Apple's platform and products shouldn't be treated like public infrastructure that must give rivals equal access or prominence, and that applies whether it's the government trying to force it it or Elon trying to force it.
 
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JPack said:
The largest smartphone market in the world doesn't use Google but many of them downloaded DeepSeek. The number of iPhone users in China is probably only second to the U.S.

Outside of China, we can use Google Trends to get an idea of what's popular.
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App Store Charts are segmented by countries. I get reports of my apps chart placement based on different countries for iOS and Android. USA Google Trends showing Grok was more than twice as popular as DeepSeek at peak yet DeepSeek reached #1 in USA.
 
Apple should put every single piece of software on the App Store into a giant ‘must have’ list and then in court say that it wouldn’t be fair to show X any more preferential treatment than any other developer.
 
Putting Grok and elon to one side for the moment, isn't Apple supposed to be adding Google Gemini as a second option for 3rd party Siri integration (in iOS26)? Wouldn't that completely negate the main claim in this lawsuit?
 
justanotherdave said:
Except Apple doesn’t do this. They’ve been accused before and nobody has ever been able to prove it.

Apps appear in rankings based on several factors. Musk, Ek or Sweeney can whine all they want, but a whine isn’t evidence.
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Certainly for about the USA these days it is. Given the bad press Grok team created for itself recently, under the guise of free speech for all, I look forward to Apple's response.
 
surferfb said:
While I am not a Grok user or Elon defender at all (I am currently having to look for a new job thanks to DOGE), I'd argue this lawsuit and the DMA both arise from the same mindset. In fact, this is a great example of why I am so against regulations like the DMA.

iOS, Siri integrations, and the App Store are Apple products. Absent very good reason (and in my opinion, "I want to use Apple's IP to reach Apple's customers without paying Apple", “Apple doesn't let my app integrate with the system", and "Apple didn’t feature my app in the App Store” don't qualify as good reasons, let alone very good ones), regulators and courts shouldn’t compel access, integration, or ranking to Apple's products.

In my opinion, Apple's platform and products shouldn't be treated like public infrastructure that must give rivals equal access or prominence, and that applies whether it's the government trying to force it it or Elon trying to force it.
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I'm a pinecone...
 
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I hope this unveils more about app review and the lead of the app review team so we can put a face to them!
 
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No one cares about Grok but Musk fanboys. And good god there are lots of them on social media kissing his a**.
 
What a snowflake. Everyone is out to get him, it’s so unfair being one of the richest men on Earth. What’s unfair is pulling up the ladder behind you on the EV credits, Elon!
 
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All Apple has to do to spike this case is show that those are defined algorithmically, or disclose that they are curated. If the latter, that’s fine, and they can certainly pick anything they want to highlight. No one has an obligation to advertise another company’s product.
 
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