Why Was Musk Taking Aim at Apple?
On 28 November 2022, Elon Musk tweeted that Apple had mostly stopped advertising with Twitter and had also threatened to remove Twitter from the App Store. It’s unclear where Musk got the information regarding the App Store, as it has now been put down to a misunderstanding between the two companies.
While taking aim at Apple, Musk held a poll asking whether Apple should publish all censorship actions that have affected its customers, and referred to Apple’s 30% commission on app revenue as a “secret 30% tax”.
Apple has previously not allowed apps on its store if moderation policies do not meet the platform’s own terms of service. As the App Store Review Guidelines state:
Guideline 1.2 states that apps with user-generated content need a method for filtering objectionable content, a way to report offensive content (with timely responses from the service), and the ability to block abusive users from the service. Some people in the tech industry have theorized whether Musk’s approach to freedom of speech could put the app at risk of being removed from the App Store.
Elon Musk and Tim Cook Meet
By 30 November, Musk and Apple CEO had met at Apple’s headquarters to discuss the issue. It appears the companies have made peace.
Musk noted: “We resolved the misunderstanding about Twitter potentially being removed from the App Store. Tim was clear that Apple never considered doing so.”
While the issue appears to have been resolved, Apple’s policies on the App Store, especially around transactions, remain an issue of contention for other companies and developers.
In 2020, Epic Games launched a lawsuit against Apple over its policies and the removal of Fortnite from the App Store. Apple emerged victorious, but the case is being appealed.
The Twitter and Apple Dispute Has Been Resolved for Now
The short-lived dispute has been resolved thanks to a meeting between Musk and Cook. However, the companies may butt heads again in future as Musk implements his vision of a Twitter 2.0.
