Apple takes 1.5 billion pound fine battle to Court of Appeal
Apple has escalated its appeal of a £1.5 billion ($2 billion) fine issued by the UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) by filing an application with the UK’s Court of Appeal, The Guardian reports.
The tech firm’s action follows an October decision by the CAT, which ruled that Apple exploited its dominant App Store market position to impose elevated fees through anticompetitive practices. Apple had previously stated its intention to appeal, arguing the court held “a flawed view of the thriving and competitive app economy,” but the CAT denied its initial appeal request.
The fine would be distributed among UK App Store users who made purchases between 2015 and 2024. Apple is expected to contest the CAT’s proposed App Store developer fee rate of 15% to 20%, which the tribunal reached via “informed guesswork,” contrasting with Apple’s current 30% fee.