Apple flexes muscle as quiet power behind app developer group

Tim Sweeney, chief executive officer of Epic Games Inc, called the association 'Apple’s fake ‘small app developer’ lobby' in a June tweet. — Reuters

The App Association brands itself as the leading voice for thousands of app developers around the world. In reality, the vast majority of its funding comes from Apple Inc.

The tech giant isn’t a member of the association. But it plays a dominant behind-the-scenes role shaping the group’s policy positions, according to four former App Association employees who asked not to be named discussing internal matters.