Elon Musk has started a new public dispute, this time against Apple, over what he claims is bias in App Store rankings. The billionaire businessman, who owns X (formerly Twitter) and founded the AI startup xAI, asserts that Apple deliberately boosts rival AI applications such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT while lowering the profile of his platforms.
Musk accused the iPhone manufacturer of “playing politics” with App Store recommendations and threatened to take immediate legal action against the company in a post on X. He was annoyed that despite their popularity, neither X nor xAI’s Grok chatbot is featured in Apple’s “Must Have” list.
“Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach number one in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust violation,” Musk wrote. He then challenged the company directly: “Why do you refuse to include either X or Grok in your ‘Must Have’ section when X is the number one news app in the world and Grok ranks number five among all apps?”
Musk’s comments immediately sparked an online reaction. Supporters echoed his concerns, but critics quickly noted that he offered no hard proof to back his accusations of App Store ranking bias. As the dispute gained traction in tech circles, several analysts expressed skepticism due to the absence of verified evidence.
Apple swiftly issued a response through a spokesperson and firmly rejected the allegations. The company stressed that the App Store is “designed to be fair and free of bias.” Apple explained that featured placements come from charts, algorithmic recommendations, and curated lists selected by experts using objective criteria. The company added that its goal is to “offer safe discovery for users and valuable opportunities for developers” in fast-changing categories.
At the moment, Grok sits a few spots below ChatGPT, which remains the most popular free AI app among iOS users. Only DeepSeek AI briefly disrupted OpenAI’s dominance in January before dropping back down the charts.
Ironically, Musk has been accused of favoritism in the same way that he has been accused of changing X’s internal algorithm since acquiring the platform in 2022. Critics claim that, especially during the 2024 U.S. election season, he has altered the system to magnify his own posts and specific political information.
Musk’s dispute with Apple comes despite his continued animosity against OpenAI, which heightens the intrigue. He has openly attacked the company’s management, threatened legal action, and even made an incredible offer of $97.4 billion to buy it. Given this, it’s unclear if Musk’s dispute with Apple is solely about platform equity or if it’s also a calculated shot at a competitor he helped build.
For now, no formal lawsuit has been filed, but the tensions highlight a larger debate over transparency, algorithmic influence, and corporate power in the digital marketplace. Whether this escalates into a landmark antitrust battle or fades as another chapter in tech’s endless rivalry, the App Store ranking bias dispute has already sparked conversations among developers, regulators, and users worldwide.
