Apple has responded to Musi app's lawsuit regarding its App Store removal, strongly opposing the preliminary injunction request that would force reinstatement of the app.

The core issues center around Musi's interaction with YouTube's platform. According to evidence presented, YouTube repeatedly contacted Musi about concerning practices, including:

• Using multiple API tokens to bypass rate limits
• Avoiding commercial API licensing fees
• Removing YouTube's ads and replacing them with their own
• Manipulating user agent strings to appear as different devices

The National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA) detailed how Musi circumvents YouTube's systems by rotating through API tokens when they get banned and exceeding rate limits without proper commercial licensing.

Apple's legal team emphasizes several key points in their defense:

• Their developer agreement allows app removal "at any time, with or without cause"
• Musi continues generating revenue from existing users
• The app reportedly earned over $100 million in ad revenue between January 2023 and Spring 2024
• With only 10 employees, Musi shows no evidence of financial crisis

Industry groups IFPI and NMPA support YouTube's position against Musi's practices. While Musi argues the removal threatens their survival, Apple contends the app remains functional for existing users and continues generating significant advertising revenue.

Current Musi users are already seeking alternatives, with many working to migrate their playlists to other services like Apple Music and YouTube Music, suggesting the app store removal is achieving its intended effect of steering users toward properly licensed services.

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