Your iPhone-as-webcam setup just became a legal battleground. UK developer Reincubate, creator of the popular Camo app that turns smartphones into high-quality webcams for computers, filed a patent infringement and antitrust lawsuit against Apple on January 27, 2026. The case centers on allegations that Apple copied Reincubate’s technology for its own Continuity Camera feature, then used platform control to crush the competition.
This lawsuit exposes a familiar pattern in Apple’s playbook: embrace third-party innovation, then absorb it into the ecosystem while making life difficult for the original creators.
The Patent Battle Gets Specific
Reincubate claims Apple infringed two key patents covering video processing technology.
The suit filed in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey targets two Reincubate patents (12,323,119 and 12,924,258) covering “devices, systems and methods for video processing.” Camo launched in 2020, enabling iPhone and Android devices to function as webcams for Mac and PC users. Apple’s Continuity Camera arrived two years later with macOS Ventura and iOS 16, offering similar functionality but limited to Apple devices only.
According to CEO Aidan Fitzpatrick, “Apple’s goal wasn’t to make Continuity Camera great, it was to hinder innovation that leveled the experience between platforms.” Apple responded that they “strongly disagree with the allegations” and believe the features “were developed internally by Apple engineers.”
Platform Control Under the Microscope
Sherman Act claims reveal how Apple allegedly weaponized iOS against competitors.
Beyond patent disputes, Reincubate’s antitrust claims under Sherman Act Section 2 paint a picture of calculated platform manipulation. Reincubate alleges Apple used Continuity frameworks to block Camo’s low-latency wireless features while auto-launching native camera functions that suspend Camo’s operation. Apple deliberately restricted cross-platform compatibility, keeping Windows and Android users locked out of the seamless experience.
The irony cuts deep—Apple had thousands of employees using Camo internally and even nominated the app for awards before launching their competing feature. This case ties directly to the ongoing DOJ antitrust suit, potentially providing concrete evidence of anticompetitive behavior.
Key Details:
- Reincubate seeks monetary damages and injunctions against developer license termination
- Case highlights broader “Sherlocking” pattern affecting third-party developers
- Cross-platform users lose functionality when Apple prioritizes ecosystem control
Reincubate’s fight represents every developer watching their innovation get absorbed into the mothership. Whether courts see this as healthy competition or monopolistic overreach could reshape how platform holders treat the creators who make their ecosystems valuable in the first place.
