Apple in 2020 was hit with an antitrust lawsuit filed by the developer of Cydia, a popular tool that acts as an App Store for jailbroken iPhones and iPads. Although Apple appealed the case, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has now denied Apple’s appeal to dismiss the lawsuit.
As reported by Reuters, Apple’s attorneys had stated that Cydia developer Jay Freeman’s allegations were “time-barred” and “stale.” Even so, Judge Gonzalez Rogers decided to let Cydia go ahead with the lawsuit as she considered Freeman’s claims against Apple to be valid.
Cydia’s lawyers argue that Apple introduced new technologies between 2018 and 2021 to harm apps distributed outside the App Store – which is the case with Cydia and many other popular apps that users can only install on jailbroken devices. For those unfamiliar, jailbreak is a process that “unlocks” iOS to run any third-party software.
With the lawsuit, Cydia wants Apple to open up iOS so that developers can distribute apps outside of the App Store. It also aims for Apple to allow alternative payment methods “to those who wish to compete fairly” with the company. This comes at the same time that Apple faces a similar lawsuit from Epic Games, which is also being heard by Judge Gonzalez Rogers.
The Epic vs. Apple case
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers issued a permanent injunction last year saying that Apple can no longer forbid developers from directing users to third-party payment options. Apple, as expected, appealed to delay implementation of the changes, but the appeal was denied by Judge Gonzalez Rogers.
The company then filed an appeal with the Ninth Circuit Court in which it claims that Epic “tries to change the narrative” while pointing out that the App Store has been generating “enormous revenue” for developers since 2008. Apple also claims that by not allowing any third-party software on iOS, it protects iPhone and iPad users from malware.
While we wait for a new ruling in the Epic vs. Apple case, the Cupertino-based company has until mid-June to respond to Cydia’s allegations.
Read also
- Apple’s antitrust mess could easily be ended, at likely minimal cost
- Epic vs. Apple: Roblox says App Store ‘enhances safety and security’ in antitrust case
- Epic CEO calls the App Store ‘a disservice’ for developers, says Facebook is his metaverse ally
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