Apple is urging a London tribunal to dismiss a massive lawsuit valued at approximately $1 billion, representing over 1,500 app developers who allege unfair fees within the App Store.
The lawsuit, valued at up to £785 million ($998 million), accuses Apple of imposing unjust commissions of up to 30% on app and content purchases.
The case, led by competition law professor Sean Ennis, claims that Apple abused its dominant market position in app distribution on its devices.
Ennis and his legal team, filed the lawsuit at the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) last year, seeking damages for UK-based developers.
According to Apple, 85% of developers on the App Store don’t pay any commission.
The tech giant is urging the CAT to dismiss the case, arguing it is ‘unsustainable.’
Apple’s lawyer, Daniel Piccinin, contends that developers can’t make claims in the UK unless charged for purchases through the UK App Store—a condition applicable to only a small minority of claimants.
This legal battle adds to Apple’s existing challenges. Another mass lawsuit, approved in 2022 on behalf of approximately 20 million UK users, alleges App Store commission issues.
Apple faces a separate case involving around 24 million iPhone users over allegedly defective iPhone batteries, certified in the previous year. Both cases are slated for trial in 2025, with Apple vehemently opposing them.