Cydia creator takes a blow in App Store lawsuit against Apple

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Cydia
But it's not quite over yet.
Photo: Alex Heath/Cult of Mac

A U.S. district judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit filed against Apple by Cydia creator Jay Freeman . Filed last year, the complaint alleges that Apple maintains an illegal monopoly over app distribution on iOS.

Cydia, which launched in 2008, became the first App Store alternative for iPhone and iPad, providing access to thousands of unauthorized downloads. However, you can only access it if you have a jailbroken device.

Cydia creator loses App Store fight … for now

The App Store last year faced more scrutiny than ever before. After Apple booted Fortnite, one of the most popular games on the planet, for breaking App Store rules, users, developers and regulators began to question Cupertino’s tactics.

The fight is far from over, with many still pushing for a more open ecosystem that allows third-party payment systems and alternative app marketplaces. But Apple just secured a rather big win against the Cydia creator, a high-profile App Store critic.

Freeman, who thinks Cupertino has an illegal monopoly over app distribution on iPhone and iPad, just had his 2020 lawsuit against Apple dismissed by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers.

It’s not quite over yet

Freeman, who says Apple consistently tries to “snuff out” App Store alternatives like Cydia, can file an amended complaint by January 19. And Apple has until February 2 to respond, Rogers said.

There has been no comment on the decision from either side so far. At this point, it remains unclear whether Freeman will take advantage of that opportunity, or walk away and leave the fight against the App Store to others.

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