Apple responds to Musk's antitrust violation charges: ‘We feature thousands of apps'
Also read: Elon Musk likely to sue Apple for favouring OpenAI in App Store rankings
Apple involved in Sam Altman-Elon Musk's war of words
The controversy began on Tuesday, when Musk accused Apple's App Store of using unfair means to promote OpenAI's ChatGPT ahead of rival Grok. He also threatened to take legal action against Apple, accusing it of 'unequivocal antitrust violation.'
The Grok chatbot and other X users were quick to point out that other apps like DeepSeek and Perplexity had reached the top spot on the App Store. Altman, for his part, accused Elon Musk of manipulating X to benefit his own companies at the expense of his rivals.
Also read: Elon Musk's Grok backs Sam Altman. ChatGPT responds with a jibe: 'Very truth-seeking'
What has Apple said on the matter?
In its statement shared with news outlets, Apple defended the App Store, calling it 'free of bias' and 'fair.' "We feature thousands of apps through charts, algorithmic recommendations, and curated lists selected by experts using objective criteria. Our goal is to offer safe discovery for users and valuable opportunities for developers, collaborating with many to increase app visibility in rapidly evolving categories,' the statement added.
According to a Fortune report, Musk's accusations against Apple may stem from the tech giant's ongoing partnership with OpenAI's ChatGPT. As per a 2024 deal, ChatGPT is built into Siri as well as system-wide writing tools on an opt-in basis. No OpenAI account is required. Apple has stated that it plans to support additional AI providers in the future.
Past accusations against Apple
In the US, Apple's App Store has been at the center of several cases related to antitrust violations. In 2020, the company was sued by Epic Games after Apple removed Fortnite from its App Store for bypassing its payment system, the Globe and Mail reported.
The Justice Department, last year, filed a landmark antitrust lawsuit against Apple, accusing it of monopolizing the smartphone market. The lawsuit alleged that Apple's App Store policies stifle innovation and block new developers.
FAQs
What did Elon Musk accuse Apple of?
He claimed Apple was engaging in 'unequivocal antitrust violation' and accused it of favoring ChatGPT over Grok.
Has Apple responded to the matter?
Yes, in a statement, the company claimed that its App Store is 'free of bias.'
Has Apple faced accusations of antitrust violations before?
Yes, the company has faced accusations earlier. Prominent instances include a case by Epic Games and a lawsuit filed by the Justice Department.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
27 minutes ago
- Mint
ChatGPT boss warns against relying on AI as primary source of information: Here's why
OpenAI released its latest language model, GPT-5, last week, which the company says is significantly better than previous models in areas like accuracy, reasoning, health, and multimodal abilities. However, Nick Turley, Head of ChatGPT, believes the AI chatbot should still be used as a second opinion and not as a primary source of information. In a recent conversation with The Verge, Turley was asked about the continuing problem of hallucination (AI making things up) with GPT-5. While OpenAI claims to have made huge strides in reducing hallucinations, the new model is still prone to errors roughly 10% of the time. Speaking about the persistent challenge, Turley said, 'The thing, though, with reliability is that there's a strong discontinuity between very reliable and 100 percent reliable, in terms of the way that you conceive of the product.' 'Until I think we are provably more reliable than a human expert on all domains, not just some domains, I think we're going to continue to advise you to double check your answer. I think people are going to continue to leverage ChatGPT as a second opinion, versus necessarily their primary source of fact,' he added. Notably, large language models are trained to predict the next likely word based on patterns in their training datasets. This means that when asked about information outside their training data, LLMs often produce plausible-sounding but false answers. Turley acknowledged the problem but stressed that ChatGPT works best when paired with external, verifiable sources like a search engine. 'I still believe that, no question, the right product is LLMs connected to ground truth, and that's why we brought search to ChatGPT and I think that makes a huge difference.' The OpenAI executive further expressed optimism about solving hallucinations: 'I'm confident we'll eventually solve hallucinations, and I'm confident we're not going to do it in the next quarter.' Notably, OpenAI is also reportedly working on developing its browser and the company's CEO Sam Altman recently said in an interview that it is interested in buying Google's Chrome browser if Google is forced to sell its prized possession.
Hindustan Times
27 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16: Upgrades, changes, and what might catch you off guard
Apple's next flagship smartphone, the iPhone 17, is already generating buzz even before its official announcement. With its expected launch just weeks away, many buyers are weighing the decision: purchase the iPhone 16 now or wait for the incoming model. While Cupertino-based tech giant has yet to confirm its launch date and other details, September is widely speculated as the release month, and leaks are already pointing to possible changes over the iPhone 16. Let's take a look at this comparison of the rumoured specifications to help you decide whether to wait for the iPhone 17 or stick to the current model. iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16: Key rumoured changes, design tweaks, and price details you should check before making any decision. iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16: Display Upgrades Leaks and rumours suggest that Apple could finally bring a 120Hz refresh rate to the standard iPhone 17 model. This feature, previously limited to Pro variants, would offer smoother scrolling and possibly an always-on display for quick notifications without waking the screen. The Pro lineup might get a scratch-resistant, anti-reflective coating, but the standard model's durability could remain similar to the iPhone 16. Also read: iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro Max: Leaked image reveals notable difference in thickness iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16: Camera updates The front camera is expected to jump from 12MP to 24MP, potentially to improve selfies and video calls. While more megapixels do not guarantee better photos, the change could benefit content creators and social media users. Although the rear camera setup on the standard model is likely to remain unchanged, with a dual-camera setup like the iPhone 16. Also, the rear camera layout will likely retain the vertical design for standard models, while the Pro series continues with its broader horizontal 'visor' setup. Also read: Samsung Galaxy A26 vs Galaxy A36: Which mid-ranger should you buy? iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16: Design and build Industry reports suggest that Apple will use an aluminium frame for the iPhone 17, with a possible 'Air' variant using titanium to reduce weight. Apple might also use 'metalens' technology to shrink Face ID components, making the Dynamic Island slightly smaller and increasing usable screen area in comparison to the iPhone 16. iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16: Performance and features Both iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 are expected to be powered by the A18 chip, which suggests similar raw performance. RAM could differ: 8GB for the regular model and 12GB for Pro and Air variants. Both will run iOS 26, featuring Apple Intelligence tools like Adaptive Power for optimised battery performance. Also read: Oppo F29 Pro 5G vs Nothing Phone 3a Pro: Which latest mid-ranger is worth the hype? iPhone 17 vs iPhone 16: Price Comparison and What to Expect The iPhone 16 launched in India at Rs. 79,900 for the 128GB base model, and early leaks suggest the iPhone 17 will start at the same price. If you're choosing to wait, then it could give you access to the latest features and upgrades, while those opting for the iPhone 16 may benefit from a price drop after the iPhone 17's release. Although the iPhone 17's upgrades appear modest, its release comes as Apple approaches the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2026, a milestone that could usher in more significant design shifts, including a possible foldable model.
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
Elon Musk's stern warning to short sellers after Tesla Senior VP dumps 82% of shares: Here's what he said
Tesla's Senior Vice President, Xiaotong Zhu (also known as Tom Zhu), has sold more than 82% of his Tesla holdings. The stock sales occurred between 2023 and 2024 at prices ranging from $174 to $323 per share, according to securities filings. This major sale by a top executive has raised questions about insider confidence in the company. Amidst the news of the stock sale, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has issued a strong warning to short sellers. In a post on X (formerly twitter), he stated that short sellers would be 'obliterated' if they do not exit their short positions before Tesla reaches 'autonomy at scale.' Musk's comment was a direct response to a list of current net short sellers of the Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturer. Short selling isa trading strategy where an investor profits from a decline in a stock's price. The process involves: Borrowing: An investor borrows shares of a company from a broker Selling: The borrowed shares immediately sold at the current market price. Buying back: Later, if the stock price drops, the investor buys back the same number of shares at a lower price. Profit: The shares are then returned to the broker and the difference between selling price and buy-back price is the investor's profit. Short selling is considered a high-risk strategy because potential losses are unlimited if the stock price rises instead of falls, as the investor must still buy back the shares at a higher price to return them to the broker. Elon Musk has a history of clashing with short sellers, including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. Their feud stems from Gates' reported short positions against Tesla stock. According to Walter Isaacson's 2023 biography of Musk, this short position has allegedly resulted in a $1.5 billion loss for Bill Gates. In an earlier post on X, Musk had warned that 'If Tesla does become the world's most valuable company by far, that short position will bankrupt even Bill Gates.'
