App developer and former Pinterest engineer Kosta Eleftheriou developed the FlickType keyboard for the Apple Watch, but the company refused to publish it on the App Store, allegedly due to “poor user interaction.” However, that didn’t stop it from endorsing competitor keyboards for its store, and even those that used an integrated version of FlickType. While Apple’s own app review team has given the green light for the same technology to be integrated into other apps, such as Nano for Reddit, Chirp for Twitter, WatchChat for WhatsApp, and Lens for Instagram.

After the scandal when FlickType was still allowed to enter the App Store, the early success made the app a target for scammers who launched simpler counterparts but boosted with fake ratings and reviews. As a result, FlickType’s own revenue fell from $130,000 in the first month to $20,000 as consumers opted for “better rated” alternatives, according to the developer. This led to a lawsuit by Kosta Eleftheriou against Apple, which was filed in the California Superior Court in Santa Clara County in March 2021.

As reports TechCrunch, after hearing the case last year, a request to dismiss the lawsuit was filed on July 21, 2022 after Apple and Kpaw (Eleftheriou’s company) reached a settlement. Neither the developer nor Apple commented on the agreement. However, it is difficult to imagine that the plaintiff would have agreed to close the case if the terms were not at least somewhat acceptable, given his constant criticism of the App Store and the difficulties faced by developers.