I have always been frustrated by how Apple handles subscriptions. If you sign up on the web, you often cannot manage it from your iPhone. It turns out I am not the only one.
Proton, the team behind Proton Mail and Proton Drive, recently sued Apple over its App Store practices. This is a significant development. They are not just complaining; they are joining a class-action lawsuit and calling out what they see as a total monopoly.
Here is the breakdown of what Proton is fighting for:
- Ending the Gag Order: Apple blocks developers from telling you in the app that you can get a cheaper deal on their website. Proton says that is not fair.
- Fair App Treatment: They argue that Apple gives its own apps an unfair advantage. For example, Proton Calendar cannot be set as your default calendar app, and Proton Drive is restricted from background processing while iCloud runs freely.
- Questioning the Fees: Proton calls Apple’s 30% cut an “arbitrary tariff.” They are using evidence from the Epic Games case to argue that Apple’s profits are so high that the fee cannot just be for App Store maintenance.
This is different from the Epic lawsuit. While Epic lost on the monopoly claim, Proton is leveraging the details that came out of that trial to build a new case for a more open and fair ecosystem.
Ultimately, this is about more choice for consumers and a level playing field for developers. It will be fascinating to see how this one plays out.