Apple Negotiates With Developer FlickType About App Store Rejections And More

Not so long ago, Apple introduced a built-in keyboard for the Apple Watch. This is a handy feature that can help you say what you’re trying to say in a pinch, especially if you can’t reach your phone. But as is usually the case, the Apple Keyboard wasn’t the only keyboard available for the Apple Watch. There used to be a FlickType app developed by Costa Eleftheriou.

We thought it was a great app when it was available. However, Eleftheriou actually ended support for the app back in 2021, after Apple rejected the app one by one in the App Store. The app itself had been available for quite some time, but in the end, Eleftheriou (and co-developer Ashley Eleftheriou) made the decision to remove the app from Apple’s digital storefront.

Soon after, Eleftheriou sued Apple after the company released its own software keyboard for the Apple Watch. Eleftheriou argued at the time that Apple’s removal of FlickType from the App Store (which, again, had long been available) was due to Apple’s own ambitions for the Apple Watch keyboard. And as a result, Eleftheriou sued Apple after this keyboard became official for the Apple Watch Series 7.

Now, according to TechCrunch, Apple has reached an agreement with KPAW (a business run by Eleftheriou):

Court records show that since filing last year, both parties have been involved in court calls with the judge, including this spring. Subsequently, a request to dismiss the lawsuit was filed on July 21, 2022, after Apple and Kpaw (Eleftheriou’s business) reached an agreement.

Eleftheriou was unable to comment on the terms of the settlement agreement. Apple was also unable to immediately comment on the dismissal.

It’s no secret that Eleftheriou has been a vocal critic of Apple and the App Store. And as mentioned in the original article, it’s really hard to imagine a developer agreeing to any kind of settlement if the outcome turns out to be unfavorable. However, in its current form, we do not know what the outcome will be, other than a settlement.

Have you used FlickType? If so, what do you think of Apple’s own solution in comparison?