May 2, 2024

France Threatens Apple With EU Action Over Removal of AppGratis

Posted April 11, 2013 at 9:34pm by iClarified · 9465 views
France says it will ask the European Commission to more tightly regular Internet companies following Apple's decision to remove AppGratis from the App Store.

A French-designed app, AppGratis sent one push notification per day to users informing them of a hand-picked and tested application that was worth downloading.

Apple removed AppGratis from the App Store for displaying "Apps other than your own for purchase or promotion in a manner similar to or confusing with the App Store" and using "Push Notifications to send advertising, promotions, or direct marketing".

During a visit to AppGratis publisher iMediapp, French junior minister for digital economy Fleur Pellerin called Apple's decision "extremely brutal and unilateral.... This behaviour is not worthy of a company of this size," Pellerin said.

She added that certain Internet companies were guilty of "repeated abusive behaviour" and said she would ask the European Commission and EU member states to better regulate digital platforms, search engines and social media.


According to a recent report, Apple's removal of App Gratis from the App Store is just the first step in a broader enforcement action.

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