Digital Will Sues Apple Over Developer Account Termination
Jack Purcher (via Hacker News):
Plaintiff received a boilerplate message from Apple’s App Store Review stating that Apple determined that Digital Will’s ADP membership “has been used for dishonest or fraudulent activity,” and thus, Plaintiff’s ADP account was “flagged for removal.”
[…]
In fact, Apple’s message did not identify any specific facts whatsoever, or any particular misconduct in which Digital Will engaged that violated the DPLA.
[…]
The message further stated that Digital Will could appeal this determination within 14 days so long as it provides a written statement that thoroughly explains the issues Apple identified, the specific steps Plaintiff will take to resolve them, and any new information clarifying the issues.
However, it was impossible for Digital Will to appeal and respond to “the issues [Apple] identified,” when Apple had not identified any specific issues.
Apple has voraciously denied accusations that the App Store has monopolistic control over iPhone apps, yet the company’s ability to unilaterally close developer accounts without explanation forms a textbook antitrust case.
[…]
Some five months after Digital Will had its apps pulled from the App Store, and two months after it sent a lawyer’s letter to Apple, the Cupertino company reinstated the account. No explanation was offered.
Previously:
- Another User Locked Out of Apple Account
- Developer Account In Limbo Due to Popularity
- Apple Accounts “Permanently” Blocked
- Developer Accounts Nearly Terminated
- Apple to Cut Epic Off From iOS and Mac Developer Tools
- Apple Remote-Kills Long-time Developer’s Apps
- Guilherme Rambo Locked Out of Apple Developer Account
- Apple Removed Dash From the Mac App Store
4 Comments RSS · Twitter · Mastodon
Really inspires confidence in creating apps for Apple's App Stores /s.
Sadly in cases like this, Google (as a company) isn't any better. We've had things just stop working and no resolve from Google, but thankfully not as damaging as this.
There needs to be a set of rules that forces the gatekeepers to treat their devs/publishers/customers with decency.
I agree with Kristoffer. It's ridiculous they can just cancel accounts with no explanation and no true form of appeal.
The simplest explanation as to why people decide to develop software for devices where they know the device maker can cancel their work and subsistence without explanation or appeal is that these device makers are monopolies.
