Privacy tech firm Proton is suing Apple, here's why

Apple-Proton

Swiss privacy-focused company Proton has sued Apple in US federal court, accusing the Cupertino-based tech giant of using anticompetitive practices in its App Store. This lawsuit has been filed in Oakland, California, and alleges that Apple has an illegal monopoly over how apps are distributed and monetised on iPhones.

Notably, this isn’t the first time that Apple has been fighting legal battles, as in the recent past, Epic Games sued the company to sell its wares for use on Apple devices through channels other than Apple's own App Store and payment systems. Moreover, in March, Apple was fined $ 500 million by EU antitrust regulators for restricting developers about cheaper alternatives outside the App Store.

A Reuters report has detailed this new lawsuit from Proton to Apple, where the Swiss company has accused the iPhone maker of holding a monopoly in the smartphone, app distribution, and app payment processing markets. Further, Apple is believed to have violated antitrust laws by forcing developers to use its payment processing services and imposing a 30% commission on most transactions.

Proton also questions whether such high fees are really necessary to support the maintenance of the App Store. Till now, Apple has not responded to Proton’s claims. The company has typically defended its App Store policies as a way to protect users and ensure app quality. However, in recent times, these practices have drawn increased criticism, as most such legal cases have a long list of changes requested from the ‌App Store‌, including support for distributing apps through alternative app marketplaces and websites, and allowing alternative payment methods.