Apple Loses Bid To Throw Out UK Lawsuit Over App Store Fees

Apple on Friday lost a bid to throw out a mass lawsuit valued at just under $1 billion, brought in London on behalf of more than 1,500 app developers over its App Store fees. Reuters: The case, worth up to 785 million pounds ($979 million) and one of several faced by the U.S. tech giant in the United Kingdom, alleges Apple charged third-party developers unfair commissions of up to 30% on purchases of apps or other content.

Sean Ennis, a competition law professor and economist, is spearheading the case which was filed at the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) last year. His lawyers say Apple has abused its dominant position in the market for the distribution of apps on iPhones and other Apple devices and are seeking damages for UK-based developers. Apple, however, says 85% of developers on its App Store do not pay any commission at all.

Applec & Google everyday

[FudRucker]

Seems not a day goes by they are caught doing evil, deceptive dirty underhanded shenanigans, and they are allowed to continue to rule the smartphone market as a duopoly, the USAs smartphone market needs to be opened up to an open source hardware/software methodology to offer an escape from these two corporate mafia style companies, I want to invite FairPhone and PinePhone to the US market and I demand both Apple and Google to stand down or else face a major class action lawsuit and any law firm that's worth their salt to help too

Re: Applec & Google everyday

[FudRucker]

I am just awful, thanks for reminding me

Re: Applec & Google everyday

[Kitkoan]

The problem is that no one will buy them because none of them have the apps they want/need. And developers won't make apps for them because people don't buy those devices.

Making another phone OS today would be a huge venture that most likely would never work because of this chicken and egg problem.

Re:

[AmiMoJo]

Android is open source, so anyone can make their own Android based OS, or do what Microsoft did and build their own compatible APIs so that Android apps can run on a completely different OS.

That would be the best way to launch a new mobile OS.

Re:

[Kitkoan]

While that is true that Android is open source, you are still stuck trying to convince developers to switch from the Play Store to the new fork of Android. Amazon has shown that this is much easier said than done with their FireOS.

Re:

[Tony Isaac]

There is no such thing as a giant company that "does no evil." They all do. This is why we have antitrust laws.

Re:

[NoMoreACs]

Seems not a day goes by they are caught doing evil, deceptive dirty underhanded shenanigans, and they are allowed to continue to rule the smartphone market as a duopoly, the USAs smartphone market needs to be opened up to an open source hardware/software methodology to offer an escape from these two corporate mafia style companies, I want to invite FairPhone and PinePhone to the US market and I demand both Apple and Google to stand down or else face a major class action lawsuit and any law firm that's worth their salt to help too

Fuck you.

We love our iPhones, and want the App Store just the way it is.

We CHOSE this. You can CHOOSE something else.

Why is it that the OWNERS seem to have no say in all this?!?

Re: Applec & Google everyday

[SleepingEye]

Lmfao, any of these changes have nothing to do with how you currently use it. You don't like reputable 3rd party stores that don't have ridiculous "you can't mention you're getting gouged" clauses? Don't install it. The option being there doesn't mean you HAVE to turn in on. Why aren't you protesting the recent introduction of emulators on there?

Re:

[NoMoreACs]

Lmfao, any of these changes have nothing to do with how you currently use it. You don't like reputable 3rd party stores that don't have ridiculous "you can't mention you're getting gouged" clauses? Don't install it.

The option being there doesn't mean you HAVE to turn in on. Why aren't you protesting the recent introduction of emulators on there?

It's all find and dandy until something you really need is only available outside of the Apple App Store.

I'm actually all for allowing Emulators. Tells me Apple now has faith in iOS Sandboxing.