Apple is at the center of a major legal battle in London, where a lawsuit accuses the tech giant of abusing its dominant market position by imposing a 30 percent commission on app developers through its App Store.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of about 20 million iPhone and iPad users in the U.K., alleges the charges have cost British consumers up to $1.8 billion.
The lawsuit, brought under the Competition Tribunal’s newly created class action framework, marks the first of its kind to be brought against a major tech company in Britain.
The case could set a significant precedent for similar actions, with several high-profile lawsuits involving other tech giants such as Google, Meta and Amazon.
They claim Apple’s App Store commission is unfairly high and stifles competition, leading to higher prices for consumers when they buy apps.
Lawyers representing British developers say the fees have caused disproportionate financial harm to millions of Apple device users.
Apple, however, dismissed the case as unfounded, citing the benefits of its integrated iOS ecosystem.
A similar lawsuit against Google, estimated at $1.1 billion, is set to begin later in 2025. That case focuses on Google’s fee structure for app developers accessing its Play Store.
