The Coalition for App Fairness (CAF) has made a strong statement in support of the Department of Justice’s antitrust lawsuit against Apple. The group, which consists of prominent app creators such as Epic Games, Spotify, Deezer, Match Group, Proton, and others, is celebrating the DOJ’s actions.
“With today’s announcement, the Department of Justice is taking a stand against Apple’s stronghold on the mobile app ecosystem. This behavior stifles competition and harms both American consumers and developers,” said Rick VanMeter, executive director of the CAF.
VanMeter went on to say, “The DOJ’s complaint outlines Apple’s history of illegal behavior, including manipulating App Store guidelines and developer agreements to increase prices, charge excessive fees, compromise user experiences, and limit competition. This effort is in line with regulators around the world who have recognized the numerous detriments of Apple’s aggressive practices and are working towards addressing them.”
Some of the CAF’s members, such as Epic and Spotify, have been involved in high-profile legal battles against Apple’s anticompetitive tactics.
For years, Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic, has been vocal about his disapproval of Apple’s 30% cut on in-app payments. He believes it is a monopolistic and predatory practice. In 2020, Epic allowed Fortnite players to pay them directly, bypassing Apple’s share. This move resulted in Apple removing Fortnite from the App Store, sparking a series of legal disputes. While Epic has achieved some successes in their fight, such as developers now being able to direct users to alternative payment methods, Apple has not been deemed a monopoly in any of the lawsuits.
As the Digital Markets Act (DMA) came into effect in the European Union, Spotify became increasingly confrontational towards Apple. The DMA aims to promote competition within the EU, but Spotify criticized Apple’s plans for DMA compliance, which include additional fees for developers, calling it “a complete and total farce.”
In a series of tweets, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek stated, “I have always been skeptical of Apple’s intentions to comply, considering their history of circumventing regulations around the world. How could I not be? However, the law is the law, right? Not for Apple…”
However, Apple views the CAF as the villain in this scenario. During a briefing with journalists about the DOJ’s antitrust lawsuit, Apple presented a slide portraying the CAF as part of a network of corporations attempting to bring down Apple for their own gain.
In response to the lawsuit, Apple released the following statement: “This legal action endangers who we are and the principles that make Apple products stand out in highly competitive markets. If successful, it would impede our ability to deliver the innovative technology that people expect from Apple, where hardware, software, and services converge. Moreover, it would set a dangerous precedent, giving the government excessive control over the design of people’s technology. We believe this lawsuit is baseless and will vigorously defend ourselves against it.”
