Maya Robertson
Privacy-focused software company Proton has launched a fresh legal battle against Apple, accusing the tech giant of abusing its dominant position in the smartphone and app distribution markets through “artificial and arbitrary” fees and restrictive App Store policies.
The Swiss company, best known for encrypted services like Proton Mail, Proton Calendar, and Proton Drive, filed its complaint in the Northern District of California. The case joins an existing class-action lawsuit against Apple, which already includes a group of Korean developers. Proton says it aims to ensure that any settlement or judgment forces Apple to enact meaningful, structural changes rather than surface-level tweaks.
Proton’s lawsuit revives the wider debate over whether Apple’s tight control of the App Store amounts to monopolistic behavior that harms both developers and consumers. While Apple largely prevailed in its lengthy legal clash with Epic Games — when a judge ruled it was not a monopoly — that case did yield a key order requiring Apple to allow U.S. developers to direct users to alternative payment options. Apple is appealing that part of the decision, but Proton’s suit uses the same evidence to argue that the App Store’s profits far exceed what’s necessary to maintain it.
At the heart of Proton’s case is the claim that Apple’s steep fees and rigid rules favor surveillance-driven business models and hurt smaller, privacy-centric developers that charge subscription fees instead of selling user data. Proton argues that free apps from ad giants like Meta or Google avoid paying Apple’s fees entirely, while privacy-first companies must hand over a significant cut of their earnings.
The lawsuit also highlights broader societal concerns. Proton says Apple’s monopoly over app distribution turns the App Store into a tool for censorship in countries with authoritarian regimes, forcing developers to comply when governments demand the removal of privacy tools like VPNs. Proton itself faced threats of removal for allegedly helping users access blocked content.
Further, the company points to consumer harm caused by Apple’s restrictions on in-app communication. Under current rules, developers can’t inform users about web discounts or link directly to customer support pages within their apps. Proton argues this raises prices, complicates subscription management, and ultimately results in a poorer user experience.
Proton is demanding that courts force Apple to open up its ecosystem — allowing developers to distribute apps through alternative app stores or websites and to use third-party payment systems without the threat of removal or retaliation.
Importantly, Proton says any monetary damages it might win will be donated to organizations fighting for democracy and human rights. The company frames this case as a fight for a healthier internet, calling mobile apps “the dominant platform of the internet” and insisting that fair competition is fundamental to privacy and democracy in the digital age.
As Proton’s CEO put it in a company statement, “Anti-monopoly laws exist because the power gifted by monopoly status inevitably leads to abuse. In the case of oligarchic tech giants, these abuses have wide implications for society, and it’s vital to the future of the internet that they be addressed now.”
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