Rival Cydia sues Apple over alleged App Store monopoly

Rival Cydia sues Apple over alleged App Store monopoly

Cydia, the maker of a once-popular app store, has sued Apple Inc. for unlawfully taking over distribution of software on its own operating system.

Created in 2008 – Cydia – accused Apple of unlawfully crushing all competition for its App Store, making consumers incapable of choosing where to obtain developers and iOS apps in having them pick from a given list of distributors.

Cydia claimed it is on the brink of closing and a possible insolvency. Filed in the Oakland, California federal court, this is the latest case against Apple for abusing market supremacy at the cost of rivals.

Meanwhile, Cupertino, California-based Apple in an email maintained that it does not control any market and that it would revisit the suit.

For security purposes, it dissuades consumers from "jail breaking" i.e. the process of unlocking their iPhones to install illegal software.

Google's Android operating system used in rival smartphones (Samsung etc.) is the chief competitor to iOS. Software engineer Jay Freeman created Cydia aks Saur kit which is seeking undetermined damages. Representing Cydia is law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan which also represented Samsung in its patent litigation against Apple.