Thirteen companies have banded together to try to break Apple's control over its App Store, a move that formalizes the growing opposition the tech giant is facing from developers on its platform who increasingly have been standing up to its power.
Fortnite parent Epic Games, online dating group Match Group, Spotify and others, all of whom have butted heads with Apple in the past, on Thursday formed the Coalition for App Fairness. They laid out a set of 10 principles they hope Apple will abide by or be forced into compliance on by regulators and lawmakers.
The suggested principles aim to make fundamental changes to how the iPhone's iOS software works, including breaking Apple's strict control of how mobile apps are installed on most iPhones, through the Apple App Store. If Apple were to change course and follow the principles -- an unlikely scenario without a court order or new laws -- it would fundamentally alter the multibillion-dollar industry built around iOS applications and potentially give Apple less control over how customers use the thousand-dollar computers in their pockets.
A website debuted Thursday by the coalition framed it as a battle between right and wrong. "Every app developer, regardless of size or the nature of the developer's business, is entitled to fair treatment by these app stores and the platform owners who operate them," the site reads, in a plea to regulators and lawmakers. "Together we will fight back against the monopolist control of the app ecosystem by Apple."
The coalition action is the latest head wind for Apple, which is under fire for allegedly wielding its power to thwart competitors and stifle innovation to serve its own bottom line. Apple takes a 30% fee for digital goods sold on the App Store.
Apple has defended its control of the App Store, pointing to privacy, security and quality as the main reasons it must vet which apps are allowed on the platform and limit their capabilities. It says the vast majority of the apps on its platform pay no fees (because they do not sell digital goods), but that the fees it does charge help support the platform.
Epic Games is suing Apple in what could be a landmark antitrust case, alleging that Apple illegally forces developers to use its payment service if they want to offer software through the App Store. Last month, Epic broke Apple's rules when Fortnite, its most popular video game, began offering customers a way to pay Epic directly, circumventing Apple's payment process and its 30% fee on digital goods.
Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store, and Fortnite responded the same day with a lawsuit in federal court.
Apple has denied in court that it is a monopoly and is countersuing Epic for breach of contract.