Apple Claims Musi App Is 'Parasitic' in App Store Lawsuit Defense
Apple has responded forcefully to Musi's lawsuit regarding their App Store removal, seeking to deny the preliminary injunction that would reinstate the app. Here's a comprehensive breakdown of the situation:
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The key issues involve:
- YouTube's multiple attempts to contact Musi about their app's functionality
- Support from IFPI and NMPA for YouTube's position
- Concerns about Musi's use of YouTube's API and ad replacement practices
According to the NMPA, Musi allegedly:
- Uses multiple API tokens to circumvent YouTube rate limits
- Avoids paying licensing fees
- Replaces YouTube ads with their own advertising
- Manipulates user agent strings to appear as iPhone 12 devices
- Uses Applovin to overlay video ads
Apple's legal team argues:
- Their developer agreement allows app removal "at any time, with or without cause"
- Musi isn't facing immediate financial crisis, earning approximately $100 million in ad revenue between January 2023 and Spring 2024
- Existing users can still access the app and generate revenue
- The company employs only about ten people
The impact is already visible, with current Musi users actively seeking alternatives and working to migrate their playlists to other services like Apple Music and YouTube Music.
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