Observed Signal · Sep 2, 2022 · Legal Settlement · Source: Trending Topics · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Apple Settles Lawsuit With App Developer Over App Store Rejections
Apple has reached a confidential settlement with app developer Kosta Eleftheriou and his company Kpaw, ending a lawsuit over App Store rejections, alleged fraud, and scam apps. A motion to dismiss was filed on July 21, 2022, after the parties reached an agreement. Eleftheriou, a former Pinterest developer, claimed Apple rejected his FlickType keyboard app for Apple Watch while allowing competing keyboards, and that the app later became a target for scammers, receiving fake reviews and facing imitations. He said FlickType revenue fell from $130,000 in its first month to $20,000. Apple has said the keyboard offered a poor user experience. The settlement follows Apple's recent steps against fraud, including reintroducing a 'Report a Problem' button and updating App Store guidelines. The case highlighted ongoing developer dissatisfaction with Apple's App Store business, as Apple also faces a U.S. Department of Justice antitrust case.
The settlement highlights ongoing App Store governance and developer dissatisfaction with Apple's platform rules and scam control, with limited direct impact on advertising technology but relevance to platform economics and app distribution.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Apple and Kpaw, the company of developer Kosta Eleftheriou, reached a confidential settlement over a lawsuit about App Store rejections and scam apps.
- A motion to dismiss the lawsuit was filed on July 21, 2022, after the two parties reached an agreement.
- Eleftheriou alleged his FlickType keyboard app was rejected, later allowed, and then targeted by scammers with fake reviews and imitations.
- FlickType revenue reportedly fell from $130,000 in its first month to $20,000.
- Apple reintroduced a 'Report a Problem' button and updated App Store guidelines to combat fraud and scams.
Connected Companies & Entities
2 Entities mapped“Apple gegen Entwickler, die nächste Runde – diesmal endet aber zumindest ein Streit: Die Klage eines App-Entwicklers gegen wegen diverser „A...”
“Es handelt sich um den App-Entwickler und ehemaligen Pinterest-Entwickler Kosta Eleftheriou....”
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