Apple loses UK antitrust lawsuit over App Retailer charges

Apple will owe cash to UK customers after dropping an App Retailer antitrust lawsuit there on Thursday, in response to Financial Times. The Competitors Enchantment Tribunal dominated that the iPhone maker abused its dominant market place to inflate developer charges.

The tribunal discovered that the corporate has “close to absolute market energy” for iOS app distribution and in-app funds. The choice declared that Apple has been “abusing its dominant place by charging extreme and unfair costs.” FT studies that Apple will attraction the choice.

The category motion claimants stated damages of about £1.5bn can be cut up between 36 million customers. A subsequent listening to to find out the method for “resolving any questions regarding the calculation” of damages might come as quickly as subsequent month.

Apple has an more and more strained relationship with the tighter laws throughout the Atlantic. Earlier this week, the corporate stepped up its attacks on the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), a regulation designed to protect consumers from Big Tech dominance. And on Wednesday, the UK’s Competitors and Markets Authority (CMA) confirmed that Apple has “strategic market standing” in the country’s equivalent of the DMA. That provides the CMA authority to “make sure that cell platforms are open to efficient competitors.”

Apple offered the next assertion in response to the ruling:

“We thank the tribunal for its consideration however strongly disagree with this ruling, which takes a flawed view of the thriving and aggressive app economic system. The App Retailer has benefited companies and customers throughout the U.Okay., making a dynamic market the place builders compete and customers can select from hundreds of thousands of modern apps. This ruling overlooks how the App Retailer helps builders succeed and provides customers a secure, trusted place to find apps and securely make funds. The App Retailer faces vigorous competitors from many different platforms — typically with far fewer privateness and safety protections — giving builders and customers many choices in how they construct, share, and obtain apps. We intend to attraction.”

Replace, October 23, 2025, 5:30PM ET: This story has been up to date to incorporate a press release from Apple on at present’s ruling.