Overview
- The Competition Appeal Tribunal’s October judgment found Apple abused dominance in iPhone app distribution and that commissions were passed on to users as higher prices.
- The latest hearing established that the tribunal will determine a damages methodology, with the final payout expected next year and estimates reported in the £1–2 billion range.
- Apple’s request to appeal was refused by the tribunal, and the company can now apply directly to the Court of Appeal to seek permission to challenge the decision.
- The class action, filed in 2023, alleges excessive commission rates on paid apps and in‑app purchases left developers with no viable alternative to the App Store.
- The tribunal cited a 2008 Steve Jobs remark about not profiting from the App Store and concluded Apple’s privacy and security rationale did not justify restricting competition.