Apple (AAPL) has shrugged off claims by tech billionaire Elon Musk that it has unfairly rigged its App Store ratings to favor his rivals such as OpenAI.
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Apple dismissed the claims in a quote reported by the BBC. The tech titan said: “We feature thousands of apps through charts, algorithmic recommendations and curated lists selected by experts using objective criteria.” It said that it was designed to be “free and fair of bias.”
Musk’s Threats
The response came after Musk had threatened to take legal action against Apple via his xAI business. Musk had claimed that the iPhone maker had behaved in a “manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach number 1 in the App Store.”
Musk also called OpenAI founder Sam Altman a “liar”, after he claimed that the Tesla (TSLA) boss used his platform to “benefit himself and his own companies.”
Apple and OpenAI did enter a partnership last year to integrate the AI company’s models and ChatGPT into Apple products, like Siri and iOS. But there is no evidence that the App Store favors OpenAI over rivals. The AI App store has seen AI startup Perplexity and even Chinese firm DeepSeek top the charts over the last 12 months.
The feud between Musk and Altman has, over time, encompassed a slew of lawsuits, email dumps and social media digs.
This includes Musk suing OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, last year alleging violation of its founding mission by the AI startup. Musk contends that the maker of ChatGPT and Sora is prioritizing profits over benefiting humanity.
Core Concerns
This isn’t the first time Apple has faced antitrust challenges. Musk’s remarks come amid mounting regulatory and industry scrutiny of the company’s control over its App Store.
It is why legal and regulatory risks are key for the stock and its investors – see below.
In June, Apple lost its long-running legal fight with Fortnite maker Epic Games. The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied Apple’s request to delay a court order that would require it to make App Store changes allowing more competition. The ruling also bars Apple from charging commissions on purchases made through external links and from controlling how developers direct users to these payment options.
It has also faced antitrust slapdowns outside the U.S. with a €500 million fine from the EU.
Is AAPL a Good Stock to Buy Now?
On TipRanks, AAPL has a Moderate Buy consensus based on 16 Buy, 12 Hold and 1 Sell ratings. Its highest price target is $280. AAPL stock’s consensus price target is $236.93, implying a 2.06% upside.
