Ad tech antitrust trial begins as Google seeks to avoid breakup
Wednesday, October 8, 2025 by Richard Harris
Alphabet’s Google is facing a U.S. antitrust trial in Alexandria, Virginia, that could determine whether the company must sell part of its online advertising business. The Department of Justice (DOJ) and a coalition of states are seeking to limit Google’s control over its ad exchange, AdX, which facilitates automated online advertising auctions for publisher...
Disney sues AI firm MiniMax with Warner Bros Discovery and NBCU
Monday, September 22, 2025 by Richard Harris
Disney, Universal (Comcast), and Warner Bros Discovery have jointly filed a lawsuit against China-based AI company MiniMax, claiming its Hailuo AI service uses copyrighted characters without authorization. The complaint, submitted in a California district court, alleges that MiniMax generated images and videos of well-known characters including Darth Vader, Minions, and...
Google appeal rejected in Epic Games app store antitrust case
Tuesday, August 19, 2025 by Russ Scritchfield
https://appdevelopermagazine.com/epic-games-sues-google-for-blocking-app-distribution/Alphabet Inc.'s Google was unsuccessful in its attempt to overturn a federal court ruling that ordered the company to reform its Android app store practices. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a unanimous decision rejecting Google’s claims that the trial j...
Meta ends paid political ads in EU over new rules
Thursday, August 14, 2025 by Brittany Hainzinger
Beginning in October 2025, Meta will cease allowing political, electoral, and social issue advertisements on its platforms within the European Union. This decision comes in response to the incoming Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA) regulation, which Meta argues imposes unworkable legal and operational requirements.
The TTPA introduces stringe...
2025 Artifact Management Report
Thursday, July 10, 2025 by Richard Harris
The 2025 Artifact Management Report arrives at a moment of profound change for software development teams worldwide. As organizations grapple with unprecedented security challenges, rapid AI adoption, and complex software supply chains, this year’s findings expose the critical gaps and evolving expectations surrounding artifact management. With software now the ba...
Google app fees lawsuit approved by UK court
Friday, June 20, 2025 by Russ Scritchfield
The Competition Appeal Tribunal (‘CAT’) has made an order certifying a £1 billion legal claim against Google on behalf of UK app developers that have allegedly been overcharged by Google for using its Play Store. The case can now proceed to trial, with thousands of businesses poised to receive compensation for the loss in revenue suffered as a result o...
Fortnite returns to iOS
Wednesday, May 28, 2025 by Richard Harris
Fortnite has returned to the iOS App Store in the United States after nearly five years of absence, marking a turning point in the strained relationship between Epic Games and Apple. This reappearance is not just a routine relisting of a popular mobile game, it signifies a dramatic shift in the power struggle between large tech platforms and the developers who rely on t...
Developers Alliance announces new board chair
Wednesday, February 12, 2025 by Brittany Hainzinger
The Developers Alliance announced Jake Ward will chair a new board of directors tasked with addressing the mounting public policy challenges facing application developers. Ward co-founded the Alliance in 2012, leaving in 2017 to found developer-focused management platform Data Protocol.
"I’m excited to return to the Developers Alliance at this critical tim...
UK app developers file class action lawsuit against Apple
Thursday, December 19, 2024 by Richard Harris
A class action lawsuit has been launched in the UK against Apple, alleging that the tech giant has abused its dominant position in iOS app distribution to charge excessive commission fees. The case, Ennis v Apple, is being brought to the UK Competition Appeals Tribunal and seeks up to $970 million USD in damages on behalf of UK-based app developers. What you need to kn...
Apple lawsuit filed by UK developers
Tuesday, December 10, 2024 by Austin Harris
A leading competition law expert pursuing a class action lawsuit against Apple on behalf of UK app developers has been told his case can go ahead, with the UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) certifying his claim for £785m (just over one billion US dollars) on behalf of UK app developers. Today, the CAT made the collective proceedings order, confirming it...
Epic Games sues Google for blocking app distribution
Tuesday, October 29, 2024 by Russ Scritchfield
Epic Games has filed a court case against Google and Samsung, accusing them of colluding to block competition in app distribution on Samsung devices through the implementation of Samsung’s Auto Blocker feature. According to Epic, Auto Blocker is part of a series of agreements between Google and Samsung that prevents competition and strengthens Google’s monop...
Developers threatened by DOJ proposals says Google
Monday, October 21, 2024 by Richard Harris
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has shared a broad outline of radical changes it may demand as part of its lawsuit regarding search distribution. This marks the beginning of a lengthy process, and Google plans to respond in detail to the DOJ's ultimate proposals as it prepares its case in court next year. However, concerns have arisen that the DOJ is signaling ...
UK android app developers file class action suit against Google
Thursday, September 12, 2024 by Austin Harris
A leading competition law expert, Professor Barry Rodger, has filed a legal claim worth up to E1.04 billion against Google before the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal (“CAT”). Google is accused of abusing its dominant position to the detriment of a large class of thousands of UK app developers who need to use its app marketplace, ‘Play Store’ or &l...
Sony FavoriteSpace app launched for sports fans
Wednesday, September 4, 2024 by Austin Harris
Sony Group Corporation (Sony) recently launched FavoriteSpace, a new service designed to energize sports fan communities by offering new ways to enjoy sports. Making the most of Sony's technology and entertainment expertise, FavoriteSpace will deliver new sports content and create a social entertainment space where fans can share their passion for their favorites.
...
Arena Breakout Infinite early access launches on PC
Friday, August 23, 2024 by Austin Harris
Global game developer MoreFun Studios announced that Arena Breakout: Infinite (PC) is available now exclusively on the official website, arenabreakoutinfinite.com. Jump into the early access version of Arena Breakout: Infinite for free, no strings attached, and experience an immersive tactical extraction shooter in the war-torn region of Kamona.
Arena Breakout Infini...
Blizzard developers form union with WoW Game Makers Guild
Wednesday, July 31, 2024 by Austin Harris
Over 500 workers at the World of Warcraft development team have joined the Communications Workers of America and Microsoft subsidiary Blizzard Entertainment has recognized their union. The World of Warcraft Game Makers Guild - CWA Union (WoWGG-CWA), which includes designers, engineers, producers, artists, quality assurance testers, and other game developers, is the firs...
Azoth Extreme keyboard lands from ASUS Republic of Gamers
Monday, July 22, 2024 by Brittany Hainzinger
ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) recently announced the launch of Azoth Extreme, a custom 75% gaming keyboard featuring a precision-crafted aluminum-alloy chassis with metal frame, delivering premium aesthetics and top-tier wireless performance. A carbon-fiber positioning plate delivers a crisp typing feel and keeps keystroke vibrations down to a minimum. The keyboard incl...
Tilting Point lawsuit settles for 500K after violating COPPA and CCPA
Monday, July 22, 2024 by Richard Harris
On June 18, 2024, the California Attorney General and Los Angeles City Attorney settled a case against Tilting Point Media LLC for violating privacy laws related to children's data. The video game developer allegedly breached the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) through their mobile app, &q...
Vision Pro app count up to 196 apps
Monday, January 29, 2024 by Richard Harris
New data from Appfigures suggests that Apple's Vision Pro mixed reality headset is facing a lukewarm response from app developers. As of the latest update, the Vision Pro's app store boasts just over 150 apps specifically designed for the device, a small fraction compared to the vast app store catalog of 1.8 million apps.
It's important to clarify that th...
Is Temu safe, legit, or dangerous: Perspective from an app developer
Wednesday, July 12, 2023 by Richard Harris
Temu is a shopping website, and app chalked full of products from overseas at ridiculously dirt cheap prices. They have almost everything you can imagine too. From laser pointer slingshots to Expresso makers, the entire ecosystem is built around keeping you shopping with a gamified experience, and it gets addicting quickly.
Some of the ADM staff have placed orders an...
Lawsuit from US developers sways Apple
Friday, August 27, 2021 by Richard Harris
Apple has announced a number of changes coming to the App Store that, pending court approval, will resolve a class-action suit from US developers. The terms of the agreement will help make the App Store an even better business opportunity for developers while maintaining the safe and trusted marketplace users love. Apple appreciates the developer feedback and ideas that...
App advertising models in the future
Wednesday, August 25, 2021 by Todd Wooten
Remember when content was king, back before three companies came to dominate digital advertising? Well, the content will be king again, thanks to emerging privacy regulations and a new interest in curbing anti-competitive behavior. But the future isn’t written in stone. In fact, we’re making it up as we go. Here’s how app developers and publishers can ...
Presidential Alerts and the future of mobile communication
Thursday, October 4, 2018 by Richard Harris
FEMA has sent their first emergency test message to all of the mobile devices throughout the United States. They reported every American who owns a smartphone - which is about 75% of the population, should have received the test alert. In total the message went out to a total of 225 million devices right around 1:18 PM CST reading "Presiden...
Using common short codes for mobile app marketing
Friday, February 16, 2018 by Richard Harris
App developers know well the difficulties in marketing their apps. But a highly compelling way to advertise their apps in the context to the real world is being overlooked.Common Short Codes provide an easy way for app developers and brands to get consumers to download an app in context with their current, real-world surroundings. Common Short Codes bring integrity and ...
Missouri ranks 27th in key measures of strength in datadriven economy
Wednesday, August 2, 2017 by Richard Harris
As data scientists and civic and business leaders across the country marshal the power of data and analytics to grow the economy and address societal challenges, Missouri ranks 27th in how well-prepared it is for success in this new data-driven environment, according to a new analysis by the Center for Data Innovation.The Center, a data-policy think tank affiliated with...
Enterprise threat dubbed HospitalGown infests thousands of apps
Tuesday, June 6, 2017 by Richard Harris
Appthority, an enterprise mobile threat protection company, published research on a newly discovered backend data exposure vulnerability, dubbed HospitalGown, that highlights the connection between mobile apps and insecure backend databases containing enterprise data. Appthority documented more than 1,000 apps with this vulnerability, and researched in detail 39 applica...
How to Design Mobile Games to Avoid Anti Gambling Statutes
Wednesday, April 6, 2016 by David S. Almeida
Big Fish Casino, Castle Clash, Double Down Casino, Game of War, Slotomania. These are just a handful of the mobile games that have come under class action scrutiny in the last 18 months as plaintiffs’ lawyers try to convince courts that popular games run afoul of state anti-gambling laws. This list makes evident that the recent lawsuits are not limited to virtual ...
Creating Apps for Kids What It Means to be COPPA Compliant
Wednesday, January 27, 2016 by Gai Havkin
A cute little interface and amazing content is often thought to be the right recipe for a killer app for kids. No doubt these are the main ingredients, but in order to have an app that’ll truly make it in the long run, a developer must be very thoughtful regarding the app’s monetization strategy AND genuine kid-friendliness - not only in interface and content - but also...
Inversoft CEO Brian Pontarelli Discusses New Passport SSO User Management Platform
Friday, December 11, 2015 by Richard Harris
We recently visited with Inversoft CEO Brian Pontarelli to talk about his company’s new Passport single sign on (SSO) user management solution that goes beyond standard single sign-on to support messaging in the user’s localized language, built-in analytics, and the ability to discipline/reward users (e.g. mute, ban, suspend, reward) based on activity.Brian is the found...
The Application Developers Alliance Calls Out FTC Ruling As Falling Short
Thursday, December 11, 2014 by Richard Harris
The Application Developers Alliance forcefully criticized the Federal Trade Commission’s proposed agreement to end enforcement litigation against a notorious patent troll for being too weak and failing to deter future bad behavior by this troll or others. The Commission had sued MPHJ Technologies for sending deceptive patent demand letters to thousands of businesses and...
The Success Checklist: What mHealth Investors and Entrepreneurs Should Know
Monday, August 11, 2014 by Lisa Clark
A healthcare start-up developer has an intriguing concept for an app or a software solution. It may be an app tied to a sensor that is designed to transmit a diabetic’s blood glucose levels to her physician, or an app that has a proprietary algorithm that analyzes a heart patient’s water retention to predict congestive heart failure.The developer has partners who may ha...
The Key to Developing Apps for Smart Wearables
Thursday, May 29, 2014 by Stuart Parkerson
I’m a golfer and recently received a catalog by mail from one of the national US golf retailers (yes companies still use the mail for marketing).As I was leafing through the catalog, I came across a number of GPS golf watches (priced from $149 to $300) that can be used on the golf course to calculate yardages so that you know what club to hit with. I am familiar with th...
IoT meets VR: The Next Concern Over Mobile Privacy
Wednesday, April 23, 2014 by Adam Grant
In the beginning of this year at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, it seemed as if every sponsor and vendor was introducing a product that demonstrated a deep commitment to mobile technology and its interaction with the “Internet of Things.” Clearly, 2014 appeared to be the year mobile technology would move from a consumer’s interaction only with th...
App Law and Which Way I Ought To Go From Here
Tuesday, April 1, 2014 by Adam Grant
On March 21, the FTC issued a press release that caused me
to reflect on a certain piece of famous literature I read as a child. As I read
the press release, I thought about Lewis Carroll’s timeless classic, Alice in Wonderland, and how it could
provide guidance to mobile app developer’s when considering how the law
regulates a child’s use of an app. Lewis
wrote t...
German Federal Court Bans Aggressive Game Advertising to Children
Tuesday, July 23, 2013 by Richard Harris
PC Magazine is reporting that a German Federal Court has ruled that aggressive marketing is prohibited, stemming from a lawsuit against gaming company Gameforge.
The suit was brought by the Federation of German Consumer Organizations (VZBV) who sued Gameforge because it tried to sell armor and weaponry directly to children through its Runes of Magic game.
Runes of Mag...
