Apple is once again facing legal scrutiny over its App Store practices, this time from a Chinese developer. The Beijing Intellectual Property Court has agreed to hear a lawsuit filed by Beijing Bodyreader Technology Ltd., the company behind the Bodyreader app, which helps children correct their posture. The app was removed from the App Store in 2020, and the developer is now seeking approximately $420,000 in damages. The case is significant not only because of the amount at stake but because it marks the second time Apple has been forced to defend its App Store policies in China, the world’s largest mobile market.

The lawsuit follows a similar case as the one of Apple against Epic Games when the creator of Fortnite tried to break Apple’s authority over the App Store in 2021. In both cases, the main theme is the Anti-competitive practices or behaviour of Apple in the mobile ecosystem. 

Apple for instance has long been very selective about what it allows in its App Store, although it has recently relaxed somewhat to allow in apps that will test the security of its applications. However, over time, developers have started to resist these rules, which they state as too rigid and infringe the competition laws.

In the case of Bodyreader, the firm is defending itself against the actions of Apple where the latter banned the app as it was deemed to have engaged in “dishonest” activities. This removal according to the developer was baseless and it had brought about so many financial losses. , it could provide a precedent for further legal proceedings concerning the policies of Apple’s App Store, particularly as domestic Chinese developers gradually achieve greater market power, and as the legal environment in China continues to become less favourable for foreign businesses.

This case is particularly notable as it is the first time a Chinese developer has brought such a lawsuit against Apple. Earlier this year, Apple successfully defended itself against antitrust claims brought by a Chinese consumer, although it sought to erase references to its dominant market position from the ruling. The Bodyreader case could have far-reaching implications, particularly in light of growing regulatory pressure on tech giants from both the US and Europe, along with increasing resistance from Chinese firms that are asserting their own influence in the mobile ecosystem.

Trial proceedings for the Bodyreader case opened this week with a likely verdict expected to be delivered in days. The strengthening of the local Chinese player if the court sides with the developer may prompt drastic changes in how Apple currently runs the App Store in China.