{"id":14941,"date":"2025-08-12T20:01:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-12T20:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/elon-musk-threatens-legal-action-over-apple-app-store-rankings\/"},"modified":"2025-08-12T20:01:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-12T20:01:00","slug":"elon-musk-threatens-legal-action-over-apple-app-store-rankings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/elon-musk-threatens-legal-action-over-apple-app-store-rankings\/","title":{"rendered":"#\n                Elon Musk Threatens Legal Action Over Apple App Store Rankings"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/elon-musk-threatens-legal-action-over-apple-app-store-rankings\/#Elon_Musk_Threatens_Legal_Action_Over_Apple_App_Store_Rankings\" >Elon Musk Threatens Legal Action Over Apple App Store Rankings<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Elon_Musk_Threatens_Legal_Action_Over_Apple_App_Store_Rankings\"><\/span>\n                Elon Musk Threatens Legal Action Over Apple App Store Rankings<br \/>\n            <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span>I assume that this approach must glean enough benefit for Elon to keep doing it, despite the risks that it carries.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span>Whatever the logic, Elon has again decided to take on Apple, this time over app rankings, and the fact that his Grok AI app hasn\u2019t reached number one on the relevant app store charts as yet.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span>Since the release of xAI\u2019s latest Grok 4 model, as well as its AI companions and its \u201cImagine\u201d text-to-video generator, downloads of the Grok app have been increasing, but Elon says that Apple is deliberately restricting promotion of the app, despite its clear popularity.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span>As per <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/elonmusk\/status\/1955073616996975095\" style=\"color:blue\">Musk<\/a>:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><span><span><span><span><span>\u201c<\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span>Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust violation. xAI will take immediate legal action.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Which is incorrect.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>As many have <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/alexeheath\/status\/1955075237063823394\" style=\"color:blue\">pointed out<\/a>, and as has been mentioned in the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/elonmusk\/status\/1955073616996975095\" style=\"color:blue\">Community Note on Elon\u2019s post<\/a>, many AI apps have reached the number one spot in the App Store rankings, including Perplexity, DeepSeek and Meta AI.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>So it\u2019s not remotely true that Apple is restricting all AI apps except OpenAI, but even so, Elon has dug his heels in, and has continued to <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/elonmusk\/status\/1955069152638693481\" style=\"color:blue\">take swipes at Apple<\/a> throughout the day, essentially accusing the company of anti-competitive behavior, designed to benefit OpenAI.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Which OpenAI\u2019s chief Sam Altman has also <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/sama\/status\/1955094792804720660\" style=\"color:blue\">weighed in on<\/a>:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><em><span><span><span><span>\u201cThis is a remarkable claim given what I have heard alleged that Elon does to manipulate X to benefit himself and his own companies and harm his competitors and people he doesn&#8217;t like.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Altman is referring to Elon\u2019s efforts to <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2023\/feb\/15\/elon-musk-changes-twitter-algorithm-super-bowl-slump-report\" style=\"color:blue\">ensure that his own comments get more traction on X<\/a>, while X\u2019s Grok AI chatbot also reportedly references Elon\u2019s posts and opinions on certain subjects when considering its responses. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Musk kind of denied this, by <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/elonmusk\/status\/1955199220207784043\" style=\"color:blue\">calling Altman a liar<\/a>, though he has never actually ruled out the suggestion of either claim. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Though this is an aside, and more a note on Silicon Valley drama, with the real accusation of note being Elon\u2019s criticisms of Apple, and the suggestion that he\u2019ll be looking to take legal action over such.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Which he clearly knows that he won\u2019t win, given, again, that several AI apps have reached the top of the App Store charts, while last time Elon tried to take on Apple (over Apple\u2019s 30% App Store fees), he was quickly rebuked, once it became clear that Apple could opt to delist X from the App Store, and cause his business significant impacts. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>So why is Musk going through this charade again?<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Well, clearly, X and xAI gain a level of promotion from the subsequent coverage of Elon\u2019s claims.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Elon is a master of getting attention, and one of the biggest benefits of having Elon in charge of your company is that you\u2019re going to remain in the conversation, even without ads and\/or paid promotion. Having Elon effectively means that you don\u2019t need a media team to gain traction, as his own comments and statements are going to get enough of the media looking your way, though the question then is whether this is good or bad publicity. And whether that actually matters.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>The old adage is that \u201call publicity is good publicity,\u201d and there is some truth to the fact that even negative coverage, at a certain level, is beneficial for a business. Though Tesla\u2019s reputation has taken a hit in recent years due to Musk\u2019s political leanings, which has impacted <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/07\/02\/business\/tesla-sales-elon-musk.html\" style=\"color:blue\">both sales and its valuation<\/a>, while X\u2019s usage has declined since Musk took over at the app. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>So maybe, Elon\u2019s proving that motto to be incorrect, at least in the modern media world. Though we are all well aware of Elon Musk\u2019s businesses, even with only limited paid promotion, and Elon continues to keep his projects in the headlines, giving him the equivalent of billions in media coverage as a result.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>I assume that\u2019s Musk\u2019s intention in this case as well. Like, he must know that this is an easily disprovable claim, while he\u2019s also criticized Apple for restricting X in the same way, despite X deliberately manipulating the App Store rankings by classifying itself as a news app (which it\u2019s not). <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Elon must know that this is not a fight that he can win. But we\u2019re all talking about it, I\u2019m writing about it, and you\u2019re reading this right now, so there is a clear promotional value for Elon in making such claims. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>As such, I suspect that, in a couple of days, Elon will claim that it\u2019s all good, that he\u2019s spoken to Tim Cook, and everything is right in the world again. Which is what he did last time, though Elon does also run the risk of sparking Apple\u2019s ire, and losing out significantly as a result.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>For example, X\u2019s Grok chatbot went offline this week after making claims about <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/tech\/tech-news\/grok-xai-temporary-suspension-rcna224426\" style=\"color:blue\">genocide in Gaza<\/a>, the latest controversy surrounding the chatbot, whole xAI\u2019s new AI companions pose a significant exposure risk for youngsters. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Given the various concerns, Apple could have reason to pull X and xAI from the App Store entirely, which would be a devastating blow for both. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>So Elon is taking a risk in making these claims. But it continues to work for him, so\u2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/social-media\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Social Media<\/a><\/span> category.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.socialmediatoday.com\/news\/elon-accuses-apple-of-bias-in-app-store-rankings-legal-action\/757501\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Elon Musk Threatens Legal Action Over Apple App Store Rankings I assume that this approach must glean enough benefit for Elon to keep doing it, despite the risks that it carries. Whatever the logic, Elon has again decided to take on Apple, this time over app rankings, and the fact that his Grok AI app&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14942,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/imgproxy.divecdn.com\/laJW-1dW_UpgXrPrHZ_5ywPy9lB-9ra07Ae_hVltMzI\/g:ce\/rs:fit:770:435\/Z3M6Ly9kaXZlc2l0ZS1zdG9yYWdlL2RpdmVpbWFnZS9HZXR0eUltYWdlcy0xMDkwODk3NjA2LmpwZw==.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[1490],"class_list":["post-14941","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-media","tag-x-twitter"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14941","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14941"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14941\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14942"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14941"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14941"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yohrt.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14941"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}