Apple Faces Class Action for iPhone App Store Monopoly

 In a significant development on Friday, a U.S. federal judge granted approval for tens of millions of Apple customers to proceed with a class action lawsuit, accusing the tech giant of monopolizing the iPhone app market.

U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers had initially declined to certify the class action in March 2022. However, a change of heart occurred after the class was narrowed down to include only Apple account holders who had spent $10 or more on app or in-app content

Apple’s attempt to exclude testimony from two expert witnesses, including Nobel Prize-winning economist Daniel McFadden, was also rejected by the judge. The testimony was related to how Apple’s practices may have adversely impacted consumers.

In April 2023, a federal appeals court upheld much of Judge Rogers’ earlier ruling, and last month, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene. The ongoing case is officially titled “In re Apple iPhone Antitrust Litigation” and is taking place in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California under case number 11-06714. Apple has not yet responded to requests for comment on the recent developments