Apple Inc. is facing a class action lawsuit in the UK, with developers accusing the company of imposing anti-competitive commission fees as high as 30% on App Store sales.
The lawsuit, led by UK competition expert, Sean Ennis, could result in Apple being required to repay up to £785 million ($995 million) to around 13,000 developers, according to Bloomberg.
The UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal has allowed the case to proceed, dismissing Apple’s attempts to block it.
Apple has faced increasing scrutiny from regulators globally over its app-fee policies.
In January, the company announced changes to its terms in an attempt to satisfy European Union regulators.
However, these modifications have raised concerns among EU authorities, with critics arguing that the new terms may have worsened the situation for developers rather than improving it.
Apple imposed commission fees on UK-based app developers who sell apps on the App Store or generate sales through in-app subscriptions to iOS users, since July 25, 2017, as stated in court filings by Sean Ennis.
Apple has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Ennis, who has previously worked with the US Department of Justice and the European Commission, secured funding for the lawsuit from third-party litigation funder Harbour Litigation Funding.
