A shareholder has filed a derivative lawsuit against Apple's top executives, including CEO Tim Cook, accusing them of breaching fiduciary duties by maintaining App Store dominance through anticompetitive practices. The complaint alleges that Apple's leadership knowingly exposed the company to years of antitrust risk to preserve their market position. Filed by a retirement fund in late February, the lawsuit targets both current directors and executives.

According to the complaint, Apple's policies allowed and furthered "monopolistic conduct" for over a decade, with the App Store policies cited as the primary concern. The lawsuit also references Apple's history of antitrust cases, including the ongoing battle with the U.S. Department of Justice. The DOJ has accused Apple of deliberately slowing proceedings by avoiding information requests.

The case mirrors similar legal challenges facing other tech giants. In October 2025, executives from Alphabet (Google's parent company) settled a comparable derivative lawsuit for $500 million. This pattern of litigation suggests growing scrutiny of big tech's market practices and leadership accountability for competitive behavior.