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Most recently, Elon Musk has complained that Apple intentionally blacklisted his social media platform X (formerly Twitter) and AI chatbot app Grok in the App Store in its featured "Must Have" category. Musk made a very visible inquiry on social media about why Apple does not promote X as the number one news app in the world and Grok as the number five all-time app, especially considering that neither of them was recommended by the company. He suggested that political bias could be influencing Apple's editorial decisions, asking, "What gives? Inquiring minds want to know." The claim comes after Musk has repeatedly criticised Apple and its CEO Tim Cook, notably over the way in which the company has treated Twitter since Musk bought the service in 2022.
A history of public feuds
Musk has publicly intensified conflicts with tech giants, especially Apple, many times positioning himself and his companies as a threat to deep rooted corporate interests. As observers of the industry point out, by calling Apple out on X publicly and highlighting that X has high ranks on Apple apps (#1 news app and #5 overall) and Grok, Musk makes sure the situation is trending online which attracts the most attention in the media.
The particular day Musk made his recent charge came on a Monday (August 11, 2025), when he reacted to a Tesla Owners Silicon Valley message where someone boasted about X being number one. Musk publicly challenged the firm by tagging Apple in his post. He also declared that xAI, Musk-owned AI firm who invented Grok, would take Apple to court immediately citing an antitrust monopoly violation. Musk accuses Apple of promoting the ChatGPT app on the Apple store developed by openAI, and thus one of the reasons why other AI developers did not get the best publicity.
Apple has been in limelight over its App Store rules as regards to app ranking/ featuring and monetisation. In recent penalties, EU regulators have punished Apple over prohibited app-purchase options and preferential treatments of its own services. Such pledges by Musk to the detriment of Apple seem to support the notion that big tech platforms are likely to distort the competitive landscape, especially that of developing AI markets.
Elon Musk’s accusation against Apple: Background of the fight is the Apple App Store
The public outburst can also be interpreted as an extension of a plot by Musk to ensure that xAI and Grok are no longer seen as merely technological rivals but also as adversaries to the current state of power in AI and digital ecosystems. Although Musk made threats of litigation in the past, it is a radical escalation to make such an announcement.
The background of this fight is the Apple App Store - the commonly popular digital store with iOS app distribution. The grievance of Musk is anchored on the app featuring and ranking policy of Apple, which determines the visibility of the app by the user and downloads. The scandal plays itself out both in the social media and the mainstream news sources and provides the cause for experts to discuss the issue of platform dominance and competition/fairness. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, responded to the controversy by emphasising OpenAI’s focus on product quality while hinting at the competitive and personal nature of the spats on social media. His reaction underscores the broader rivalry Musk has with OpenAI dating back to their split years ago.
Future outlook
Regarding the manner of the appearance of this situation, the call-out of Musk is a part of a long-term confrontation between the CEO and Apple, especially Tim Cook, which is representative of wider struggles in the tech industry over ownership of app stores, antitrust, and AI marketplaces. Apple has yet to officially address the recent allegations set by Musk. This strategy is typical of Musk who tries to create spectacles to promote his products, build a fan base and intimidate competitors. Whether or not there is an immediate policy change at Apple, the controversy also means that X and Grok AI stay in the limelight, which is perhaps the true victory for Musk.
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