A developer, who previously alleged that the App Store was hosting mult-million dollar scams, has claimed that Apple “exploited its monopoly power” in a new case. The Verge reported that Kosta Eleftheriou and his partner Ashley, who run LPAW LLC, filed the complaint in Santa Clara County, California on Wednesday.
Developer Claims he Face ‘Roadblock After Roadblock’ to Sell Product Via App Store
Mr. Eleftheriou alleged that his FlickType Apple Watch keyboard app had been targeted by inferior competitors and that Apple did nothing to protect his App Store ranking against fake reviews. (Apple, it should be noted, did ultimately remove some of the apps he raised concerns about.) The latest complaint claims:
Apple has exploited its monopoly power over applications compatible with its devices to make billions of dollars in profits at the expense of small application developers and consumers.
It lays out a timeline of his concerns and alleges that “because Apple fails to properly police the App Store, scam competitors get away with stealing over a $100,000 a month from Plaintiff’s monthly FlickType revenue by utilizing dysfunctional copycat applications and manipulated ratings schemes to promote their products.”
Mr. Eleftheriou also said that he has “roadblock after roadblock” in selling via the App Store. Furthermore:
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.”
There had been no public comment from Apple regarding the case at the time of this writing.
Geez, just invent, release a better app.
The world of roll the dice and sue – hope for an idiot judge, Which are multilying at a good rate.