DOJ’s Apple Suit Applauded by Coalition of Tech Giants, Including Spotify and Epic

Coalition for App Fairness Applauds DOJ’s Antitrust Lawsuit Against Apple

On Thursday, the Coalition for App Fairness (CAF), a group comprising key app developers such as Epic Games, Spotify, Deezer, Match Group, and Proton, issued a statement supporting the Department of Justice’s antitrust lawsuit against Apple.

CAF Executive Director Condemns Apple’s Practices

Rick VanMeter, the CAF’s executive director, praised the DOJ’s actions, stating:

“With today’s announcement, the Department of Justice is taking a strong stand against Apple’s stranglehold over the mobile app ecosystem, which stifles competition and hurts American consumers and developers alike. The DOJ complaint details Apple’s long history of illegal conduct – abusing their App Store guidelines and developer agreements to increase prices, extract exorbitant fees, degrade user experiences, and choke off competition. The DOJ joins regulators around the world, who have recognized the many harms of Apple’s abusive behavior and are working to address it.”

Legal Battles Between CAF Members and Apple

Several CAF members, including Epic Games and Spotify, have been engaged in high-profile legal disputes with Apple over its allegedly anticompetitive practices. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney has long criticized Apple’s 30% commission on in-app payments, deeming it monopolistic and predatory. In 2020, Epic enabled Fortnite players to pay directly to Epic, circumventing Apple’s cut. As a result, Apple removed Epic from the App Store, triggering a series of legal proceedings. Although Epic has achieved some successes, such as allowing developers to direct users to alternative payment methods, Apple has not been proven to be a monopoly in any of these lawsuits.

Spotify’s Criticism of Apple’s DMA Compliance

As the Digital Markets Act (DMA) came into effect in the European Union, Spotify has become increasingly critical of Apple. The DMA aimed to promote competition in the EU, but Spotify labeled Apple’s DMA compliance plans, which introduce additional developer fees, as “a complete and total farce.”

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek expressed his skepticism about Apple’s intentions to comply with regulations in a thread on X, stating:

“I was skeptical of Apple’s intentions to comply after years of watching them get away with such extreme abuse with all the ways they skirt regulations around the world. Who wouldn’t be? But the law is the law, right? Not if you are Apple…”

Apple’s Response to the CAF and DOJ Lawsuit

Apple, however, perceives the CAF as an adversary. During a briefing with journalists about the DOJ’s antitrust lawsuit, Apple presented a slide depicting the CAF as part of a network of corporations attempting to undermine Apple for their own benefit.

In a statement, Apple said:

“This lawsuit threatens who we are and the principles that set Apple products apart in fiercely competitive markets. If successful, it would hinder our ability to create the kind of technology people expect from Apple—where hardware, software, and services intersect. It would also set a dangerous precedent, empowering government to take a heavy hand in designing people’s technology. We believe this lawsuit is wrong on the facts and the law, and we will vigorously defend against it.”