Apple’s policy of allowing app developers access to its ecosystem is frustrating many of them to the point that they are trying to challenge the high commission fees in court. A group of British software developers have also joined forces in this area and will try to recover almost $1 billion in commissions paid through the courts.
Image Source: Apple
A class action lawsuit covering the interests of almost 13,000 developers is being prepared for consideration by British justice authorities, Bloomberg reports. It has already been passed by a special competition tribunal, and if the court is not satisfied with the arguments of the defendant in the person of Apple, then the class action will be considered in order to further satisfy the claims of the plaintiffs.
In the UK, as of July 25, 2017, Apple charged developers selling their apps through the App Store or signing up for subscriptions 30% of user fees. During this time, the developers paid the company $995 million in commissions, and the plaintiffs’ representatives expect to return this money. In the jurisdiction of the European Union, Apple was forced to comply with the requirements of local antitrust laws and revise its policy regarding commissions, but the UK has for some time been a separate subject of law, so local developers are forced to protect their rights through separate actions.