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Rave Sues Apple in Antitrust Case Over App Store Removal

By  |  May 7, 2026
Rave Sues Apple in Antitrust Case Over App Store Removal

Canadian software developer Rave has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, alleging the iPhone maker removed Rave’s app from the App Store after launching its own competing co-viewing feature, SharePlay.

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    The complaint, filed Thursday in U.S. federal court in New Jersey, seeks Rave’s return to Apple’s App Store as well as “hundreds of millions of dollars” in damages, according to Reuters. Based in Ontario, Canada, Rave was founded in 2013 and developed a platform that allows users to watch video content together while chatting across multiple operating systems, including Apple’s iOS and Mac, as well as Android and Windows. The app remains available on Android and Windows devices.

    In its lawsuit, Rave claims Apple removed the app from the App Store in 2025, citing what Apple described as “dishonest or fraudulent activity.” However, according to Reuters, Rave alleges the stated reason was merely a pretext and that the actual motive was to eliminate competition. The complaint argues that Rave’s business model, which depended largely on advertising revenue rather than in-app purchases, did not generate commission revenue for Apple.

    Related: SCOTUS Rejects Apple Bid to Pause App Store Contempt Order in Epic Games Dispute

    Rave contends that this placed its service in direct competition with SharePlay, a similar feature Apple introduced in 2021. Rave says Apple’s decision unfairly restricted competition in the market for shared digital viewing experiences.

    “Apple’s pretextual removal of Rave from the App Store has harmed consumers significantly by limiting choice and effectively preventing Apple customers from co-viewing and connecting with non-Apple customers,” Rave Chief Executive Michael Pazaratz said in a press release.

    “Apple’s actions denied users access to a product they enjoy, disrupted the communities built on Rave and impaired Rave’s ability to compete fairly based on the strength of its product.”

    The lawsuit adds to Apple’s ongoing scrutiny over its App Store policies. The company has been locked in a legal dispute since 2020 with Epic Games, creator of Fortnite, over Apple’s commission structure for in-app purchases. Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court sent that case back to federal court in California.

    Source: Reuters