Proton, the Swiss company behind the privacy-focused email service Proton Mail, is suing Apple in a U.S. court. The core of the case? Apple’s grip on how apps are distributed and how payments are handled inside its ecosystem.
The lawsuit, filed in California this week, isn’t just about Proton’s own business. It aims to represent millions of developers who, according to the filing, have been boxed in by Apple’s rules for years. Proton says those rules shut out competition, limit innovation, and force developers to hand over a chunk of their revenue just to stay on iOS.
The complaint targets Apple’s requirement that developers use its in-app payment system and its refusal to allow third-party app stores on iOS. Developers using the App Store must rely on Apple’s payment system, which can take up to 30 percent of their earnings. Proton argues that these rules don’t just raise costs, they also restrict user choice, especially for services that prioritize privacy or want to run things differently.
This isn't the first time Apple has been challenged over its App Store policies, but Proton’s case arrives at an interesting moment. Just days ago, Apple rolled out rule changes in Europe to comply with new regulations. Those changes allow limited access to outside payment processors and alternate app stores, but they only apply in the EU. U.S. developers are still under the old rules, and Apple has made clear it isn’t thrilled about loosening control elsewhere either.
Proton is asking for more than just policy changes, it wants the court to open iOS to other stores and payment platforms entirely. The lawsuit also seeks damages tied to Apple’s commissions and what the company calls lost chances for developers to grow on their own terms.
The case, officially filed as Proton AG v. Apple Inc., No. 4:25-cv-05450, could put new pressure on Apple’s App Store model in the U.S., and possibly shape what freedom looks like for developers on the platform moving forward.
Notes: Image: DIW-Aigen. This post was edited/created using GenAI tools.
Read next: Activists Question Google’s Commitment to AI Oversight Following Gemini 2.5 Pro Release
The lawsuit, filed in California this week, isn’t just about Proton’s own business. It aims to represent millions of developers who, according to the filing, have been boxed in by Apple’s rules for years. Proton says those rules shut out competition, limit innovation, and force developers to hand over a chunk of their revenue just to stay on iOS.
The complaint targets Apple’s requirement that developers use its in-app payment system and its refusal to allow third-party app stores on iOS. Developers using the App Store must rely on Apple’s payment system, which can take up to 30 percent of their earnings. Proton argues that these rules don’t just raise costs, they also restrict user choice, especially for services that prioritize privacy or want to run things differently.
This isn't the first time Apple has been challenged over its App Store policies, but Proton’s case arrives at an interesting moment. Just days ago, Apple rolled out rule changes in Europe to comply with new regulations. Those changes allow limited access to outside payment processors and alternate app stores, but they only apply in the EU. U.S. developers are still under the old rules, and Apple has made clear it isn’t thrilled about loosening control elsewhere either.
Proton is asking for more than just policy changes, it wants the court to open iOS to other stores and payment platforms entirely. The lawsuit also seeks damages tied to Apple’s commissions and what the company calls lost chances for developers to grow on their own terms.
The case, officially filed as Proton AG v. Apple Inc., No. 4:25-cv-05450, could put new pressure on Apple’s App Store model in the U.S., and possibly shape what freedom looks like for developers on the platform moving forward.
Notes: Image: DIW-Aigen. This post was edited/created using GenAI tools.
Read next: Activists Question Google’s Commitment to AI Oversight Following Gemini 2.5 Pro Release
