Elon Musk to Sue Apple Over App Store Antitrust Claims
Billionaire Elon Musk has announced that his artificial intelligence startup, xAI, will take legal action against Apple, accusing the tech giant of breaching antitrust rules through its management of App Store rankings.
Musk alleged that Apple’s actions make it impossible for any AI company other than OpenAI to reach the top position in the App Store — a move he called an “unequivocal antitrust violation.” He said xAI would “take immediate legal action” in response.
Musk Targets Apple Over App Rankings
In a post on his social media platform X, Musk questioned why Apple excludes both X and xAI’s chatbot Grok from its “Must Have” section. He claimed X is the number one news app globally, while Grok ranks fifth among all apps in the US App Store. Google’s Gemini chatbot, by comparison, sits at 57th.
ChatGPT currently holds the top position in the App Store’s “Top Free Apps” category for iPhones in the US and also leads on Google’s Play Store, according to Sensor Tower data. Apple has a partnership with OpenAI, integrating ChatGPT into iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
Neither Apple, OpenAI, nor xAI immediately responded to Reuters’ requests for comment. Musk has not provided evidence to support his claims.
Growing Scrutiny of Apple’s App Store Control
Musk’s accusations come amid increasing regulatory and competitive scrutiny of Apple’s App Store practices. In April, a US judge ruled that Apple violated a court order designed to boost competition in the App Store and referred the company to federal prosecutors for a criminal contempt investigation in a case brought by Fortnite developer Epic Games.
That same month, the European Union’s antitrust watchdog fined Apple €500 million ($587 million). The regulator found that Apple’s commercial and technical restrictions prevented app developers from directing users to cheaper options outside the App Store, in violation of the Digital Markets Act.
Apple has consistently defended its App Store policies, arguing they protect user security and privacy while ensuring a fair marketplace.
with inputs from Reuters