Apple Appeals £1.5bn Ruling Over UK App Store Overcharging
Apple is seeking to overturn a £1.5 billion ruling that found it had overcharged UK customers using the App Store between 2015 and 2024. The case, won by Dr Rachael Kent on behalf of 36 million UK consumers, represents a significant pushback against big tech firms and may lead to payouts for millions of affected customers if the appeal fails.
The £1.5 billion ruling is part of a wider cluster of class actions targeting Apple and Google, collectively seeking more than £6 billion using opt-out mechanisms. Among these is Barry Rodger's suit representing more than 2,000 app developers demanding up to £1 billion in damages, as well as a separate Google Play case involving around 19 million customers.
The competition tribunal proposed a remedy involving a 17.5% commission on apps and 10% on in-app purchases, with app developers required to pay a 10% fee. Apple disputes the claims, maintaining that App Store commissions are set at 15% and support the UK digital economy. Additionally, Which? has lodged a £3 billion claim against Apple over iCloud services, which Apple contests, arguing that using iCloud is not mandatory.
