Apple loses App Store class action in UK, will appeal
Adding to yet another week of legal woe, Apple has lost a class action in the UK in which it was accused of abusing its market dominance by charging too much commission on App Store sales.
The case was bought to the Competition Appeal Tribunal by Dr Rachael Kent and the judgement was declared today.
Judged wanting
The judges ruled that Apple:
- Abused its market position.
- Hindered competition
- Charged excessive and unfair costs on developers.
- Claimants are entitled to damages.
Apple may face up to $2 billion in damages as a result of the judgement, but how much this will be is to be decided at a subsequent hearing in November.
Apple will appeal
Apple will appeal against the ruling, saying it “takes a flawed view of the thriving and competitive app economy”.
It also said the decision overlooks how Appleās App Store helps developers succeed and āgives consumers a safe, trusted place to discover apps and securely make payments,” an Apple spokesperson told Reuters.
The full judgement (all 396 pages of it) is available here.
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