Meta, Microsoft, and X team up against Apple's App Store plans

In an unsual collective filing, Meta Platforms Inc., Microsoft Corp., and X Corp. have teamed up in a lawsuit against Apple Inc., requesting that the federal judge dismiss Apple’s proposed plan to open its App Store to external payment options.

According to the tech giants, Apple’s plan contravenes the 2021 ruling, which found the iPhone manufacturer in violation of California's unfair competition laws. The ruling demanded that Apple permit app developers to direct users to their own payment systems.

The companies believe that Apple’s plan, if set in motion, would act as an obstacle to developers, hindering the competition that the ruling aimed to promote. This is the latest development in the ongoing dispute over Apple's stringent control of its marketplace.