Musk vs. Apple: The App Store Ranking Debate Heats Up with Antitrust Claims

Elon Musk is threatening to sue Apple, accusing the tech giant of an “unequivocal antitrust violation” over its App Store ranking system. Musk’s AI company, xAI, claims that Apple is unfairly favoring OpenAI, making it impossible for competitors to reach the top. In a post on X, he questioned why his Grok app ranks fifth while OpenAI’s ChatGPT is number one. This public accusation has sparked a heated feud with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
The public back-and-forth on X was marked by personal attacks. Altman responded to Musk’s claims by pointing out the hypocrisy, referencing reports that Musk himself has manipulated X’s algorithm for his own benefit. The animosity between the two has been a long-standing issue, stemming from Musk’s departure from OpenAI in 2018. Since then, Musk has sued the company twice, with Altman consistently portraying him as a bitter ex-partner.
Musk’s central claim that the App Store is a closed system for OpenAI has been debunked by community notes on X. Users have provided evidence that other AI apps, including DeepSeek and Perplexity, have also reached the number one spot in different markets this year. This factual counter-evidence undermines Musk’s assertion that the system is rigged. The irony was further magnified when xAI’s own chatbot, Grok, when asked about the feud, sided with Altman.
This legal threat from Musk adds to Apple’s growing regulatory challenges. The company is currently facing a major antitrust lawsuit from the US Department of Justice and was recently fined €500 million by the EU for its anti-steering policies. Musk’s public allegations add another layer of scrutiny to Apple’s business practices and its control over the app ecosystem.