UK Developers File Class Action Lawsuit Against Apple Over Alleged Anti-Competitive Practices

A class action lawsuit has been filed against Apple by a group of UK developers, who claim that the 30% commission charged by the App Store is anti-competitive. According to a report by Bloomberg, the lawsuit could result in Apple refunding up to £785 million to around 13,000 developers. The lawsuit alleges that Apple's commission creates an unfair tax on the UK's tech industry. The UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal has given the lawsuit the go-ahead, rejecting Apple's attempts to block it. The lawsuit is being led by Professor Sean Ennis, a UK expert on competition policy. Apple is also facing an investigation by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority, along with Google, regarding their dominance of the mobile market. Earlier this year, Microsoft criticized Apple's commission fee, stating that it makes it impossible to effectively monetize its cloud gaming service on iOS. Although the CMA recently closed its investigation into Apple's in-app payment system, the company has updated its business terms in the EU to allow developers to link to external payment systems.