Grok, xAI’s chatbot, has risen quickly in Apple’s rankings over the past month. It moved from around 60th position to the top five overall, helped by the launch of Grok 4, the introduction of image and video generation tools, and the removal of subscription fees. Even with this growth, the app still sits behind ChatGPT in overall and productivity categories on iPhones in the United States.
Apple has regularly placed ChatGPT in its App Store highlights over the past year. The company also agreed a partnership with OpenAI in 2024 to integrate the chatbot into its Apple Intelligence features, adding functions such as Siri support and writing assistance.
Musk has questioned why Grok and his social platform X do not appear in the App Store’s “Must Have” section. X leads downloads in the news category, and Grok ranks high among free applications. Posts from Grok’s account have said Apple’s selection process benefits established providers and limits exposure for new entrants.
The dispute follows Musk’s earlier clashes with OpenAI. He helped establish the organisation but left during its early years, later filing a lawsuit to challenge its move toward a commercial model. His company now competes directly with OpenAI in the AI market.
Apple’s app distribution policies have faced legal action before. In April, a U.S. court ruled the company had failed to comply with an order intended to increase competition in app payments and downloads. That case began in 2021 with Epic Games’ antitrust complaint. In a separate ruling this year, the European Commission fined Apple €500 million for limiting developers’ ability to direct customers to cheaper payment methods outside the App Store. Apple has appealed the fine.
Musk has made public statements about possible legal action against Apple, although it is not clear whether a formal filing will follow. The situation adds another chapter to the ongoing rivalry between his companies and the technology giant.
Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools. Image: DIW-Aigen.
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