YouTube wrapper app Musi has filed a breach of contract lawsuit against Apple following its removal from the App Store on September 24th. The Manitoba-based company claims the removal was unjust and without proper cause.

Musi's service allowed users to access YouTube's content through an enhanced interface, particularly focusing on music content and live recordings. The app monetized through full-screen silent ads, which they claimed were less intrusive than Spotify's free tier advertisements.

The dispute history dates back to 2015, with several key developments:

• 2021: YouTube's legal team accused Musi of violating terms by:

  • Accessing non-public interfaces
  • Using YouTube for unauthorized commercial purposes
  • Selling ads on YouTube video pages

• March 2023: YouTube repeated similar allegations

• August 2023: Apple received a formal complaint from YouTube citing intellectual property rights infringement

• September 2023: Apple removed Musi from the App Store

Musi claims the removal was "unreasonable, lacked good cause, and violated Apple's Development Agreement's terms." The company is seeking damages and an injunction to restore the app to the App Store platform.

Throughout the dispute, Musi maintains they attempted to address concerns and comply with YouTube's Terms of Service, but claim they received inadequate responses from both Apple and YouTube/Google. The app, which never released on Android, had previously offered a lifetime ad-free tier to users before its removal.

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