Antitrust Claims by French iOS Developers Barred by US Law: Apple

The claims brought by French-resident iOS developers alleging Apple willfully blocked competition in the market for iOS app-distribution and in-app purchase services (see 2212210037) are barred by the Foreign Trade Antitrust Improvements Act (FTAIA), and should be dismissed, argued Apple in a motion Friday (docket 4:22-cv-04437) in U.S. District Court for Northern California in Oakland. The claims based on “foreign-storefront sales by foreign app developers to foreign consumers are outside the reach of U.S. antitrust laws,” said Apple. The plaintiffs’ foreign-storefront sales claims “are clearly barred by the FTAIA,” and they don't plead “a plausible basis for an exception from the statute,” it said. Their arguments against applying the FTAIA to their claims are “unavailing,” it said.