APPLE APP STORE ANTITRUST EXPLAINED
Hagens Berman has filed a lawsuit against Apple accusing it of overpricing in its App Store functionality and in-app purchase (IAP) services, the same anticompetitive policies that led to Hagens Berman securing a $100 million settlement in 2021 for U.S. developers.
Apple mandates only one app store for iOS devices, which set the stage for Apple to abuse its market power. Apple also requires developers to pay an annual fee if they want their apps and in-app products to be considered by Apple for distribution in the App Store. This is especially damaging to smaller and new developers. Putting all iOS apps into one marketplace also means consumers never see most apps, attorneys say, stifling competition and innovation.
According to a legal filing made by Apple last year, there were at that time more than 2 million apps available on the App Store.
If you are a France-based iOS developer, find out your rights and sign up for the lawsuit by contacting Fayrouze Masmi-Dazi at 06 27 96 28 65 or fmasmi-Dazi@outlook.com.
THE RIGHTS OF FRANCE-BASED APP DEVELOPERS
The firm represents France-based iOS developers that were subjected to Apple’s high commissions, fees and other policies, and the lawsuit seeks to force Apple to end its abusive monopoly and allow competition in the distribution of iOS apps and related products, to get rid of pricing mandates, and to reimburse developers for overcharges made through abuse of its monopoly power.
We believe that developers who work hard to design, build and sell their own apps and in-app digital products in app stores should not be harmed by unfair or anti-competitive behavior from big tech companies.
EXPERIENCED LAW FIRM
Hagens Berman is one of the most successful consumer litigation law firms in the U.S. and has achieved more than $320 billion in settlements in lawsuits against anti-competitive behavior at technology corporations, big banks, and other entities. The firm secured a $100 million settlement against Apple regarding its anticompetitive App Store policies and won a suit against Apple and various publishing companies in 2016 that settled for a total of $616 million on behalf of e-book purchasers forced to pay artificially high prices due to Apple and the publishing companies' colluded price-fixing. That suit went to the Supreme Court, where the Court ruled against Apple. The firm also recently filed a $1 billion case against Apple regarding antitrust policies within Apple Pay. Additionally, Hagens Berman took Google to court on behalf of Android app developers using the Google Play Store, achieving a $90 million settlement on behalf of the class.
