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Swiss Software Firm Proton Sues Apple Over Alleged App Store Monopoly

By  |  July 1, 2025

Swiss privacy software firm Proton has filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against Apple, accusing the tech giant of maintaining a monopoly over iPhone app distribution and imposing excessive fees on developers.

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    Filed on Monday in U.S. District Court in Oakland, the proposed class action claims Apple’s control over the iOS App Store and its 30% commission structure violate U.S. antitrust laws, according to Reuters. Proton, known for its encrypted email service Proton Mail, said the suit aims to challenge Apple’s allegedly restrictive practices that force developers to use its payment system.

    The complaint seeks to represent millions of developers and demands changes that would open the iOS ecosystem to alternative app stores and payment processors. As reported by Reuters, Proton emphasized that it is building on a similar lawsuit filed in May by the Korean Publishers Association and other parties. That earlier legal action also targeted Apple’s policies, which critics argue stifle competition and innovation.

    Related: Apple Announces Changes to App Store To Meet EU DMA Deadline; Meta Still At Odds

    In a public statement, Proton said the legal action is intended “to set an important precedent that free people, not monopolies, will dictate the future of the internet.” The company, founded in 2014, has developed a suite of privacy-focused apps including secure email and calendar services and claims to serve more than 100 million users.

    Apple, which is already battling a separate antitrust suit from the U.S. Department of Justice over allegations of monopolizing the smartphone market, has denied all claims and is seeking dismissal of the DOJ case.

    The case is titled Proton AG v. Apple, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 4:25-cv-05450.

    Source: Reuters