App Store dispute now also in China: memories of Apple vs Epic Games
There's anger in many countries around the world about Apple's App Store commissions and the firm hand it uses to control developers. Now also in China.
Flag of China: Company demands 420,000 US dollars from Apple.
(Image: Tatohra/Shutterstock.com)
Epic Games and Apple have been arguing for many years about the way developers are treated in the App Store. The gaming giant no longer wants to pay commission, and Apple has since kicked the provider out of the software store. Now a similar case is brewing in China, albeit on a smaller scale. This could nevertheless be of great significance, as the People's Republic is considered Apple's most important foreign market.
Case dates back years
According to a US media report on Tuesday, the case concerns the provider Beijing Bodyreader Technology Ltd, whose app was removed from the App Store by Apple back in 2020. The reason given by Apple's app review team was that the app, which allows children to correct their physical posture, exhibited "dishonest behavior".
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The lawsuit has now been accepted by the Intellectual Property Court in Beijing. In total, Beijing Bodyreader is seeking damages of over 390,000 euros, and Apple should not be allowed to maintain its allegations. According to the report, the case in China could lead to Apple's role in the mobile ecosystem being scrutinized more closely – something that has long been happening in the USA and the EU in particular.
Identical app is allowed
Initial discussions between lawyers and the court already took place last week and could be concluded this week. It would be the first case of its kind in China in which a Chinese developer directly challenges the app store rules. Previously, Apple had succeeded in resisting monopoly allegations from Chinese end customers who had sued directly.
In addition to the almost 390,000 euros, Beijing Bodyreader also wants an official apology. The court is also expected to find that Apple is engaging in "unfair monopolistic behavior". The Bodyreader app is said to have been online for a year before it was blocked on suspicion of "activities that could interfere with Apple's software and services and constitute 'dishonest and fraudulent conduct'". Attempts to appeal the decision by email were unsuccessful. Interestingly, Beijing Bodyreader then submitted an identical app, only under a new name – which has been online ever since. This shows that Apple's App Store policy is "inconsistent".
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