Apple has been hit with a new lawsuit that claims the Cupertino firm rejected a coronavirus contact tracing app to protect its monopoly in COVID-19 exposure tracking.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the New Hampshire District on Tuesday, is related to a smartphone application called “Coronavirus Reporter” that was denied entry to the App Store in March 2020.
The lawsuit says the app was developed by a team of healthcare and computer science experts in February 2020 to “capture and obtain critical biostatistical and epidemiological data as it happened.” Just before the app was submitted to the App Store, Apple barred coronavirus-related apps that weren’t from recognized medical, government or other institutions from the App Store.
Also in March, Apple posted a notice on its developer website outlining its commitment to making the App Store a “safe and trusted place.” The company said it was evaluating coronavirus-related apps “critically to ensure data sources are reputable and that developers presenting these apps are from recognized entities such as government organizations, health-focused NGOs, companies deeply credentialed in health issues, and medical or educational institutions. Only developers from one of these recognized entities should submit an app related to COVID-19. Entertainment or game apps with COVID-19 as their theme will not be allowed.”
When Apple rejected the Coronavirus Reporter app, the app’s developers appealed but were again rejected 20 days later, as the app was not backed by a recognized healthcare company and its “user-generated data has not been vetted for accuracy by a reputable source.”
The lawsuit claims Apple allowed a similar app into the App Store approximately a month later. The filing also says the Apple and Google Exposure Notification framework is “largely a failure.”
The lawsuit alleges that Apple blocked the app from the App Store to protect its monopoly on contact tracing apps. It also claims that Apple’s ability to “arbitrarily determine which applications will or will not be published has substantial anti-competitive effects.”
The lawsuit claims Apple is in violation of the anti-monopoly Sherman Act and seeks an enjoinment on the alleged anti-competitive behavior; damages in excess of $75,000; and a permanent injunction restraining Apple’s ability from “restricting reasonable applications.”
(Via AppleInsider)
