Apple seeks to appeal against 1.5bn ruling it overcharged UK customers

"Apple is seeking to overturn a landmark 1.5bn court ruling on behalf of millions of UK customers, which found the company overcharged them for years in its App Store. The iPhone maker has applied to the court of appeal to challenge a verdict that campaigners heralded as the start of a tidal shift against big tech. It is one of a cluster of cases heading towards trial in 2026 as consumers realise the mounting cost of paying up to 30% commission"

"The class action cases use an opt-out system that means millions of people can be represented at once in claims of breaches of competition law. It's definitely a tipping point, said Dr Rachael Kent, an academic at King's College London who won the 1.5bn case against Apple on behalf of 36 million UK consumers. People are pushing back against the harms from digital worlds, which they have to be living in and through every day and the financial implications of that, she said."

A UK court ordered 1.5bn after finding Apple overcharged millions of customers for App Store purchases. Apple has applied to the court of appeal to challenge that verdict. The appeal is one of several opt-out class actions against Apple and Google seeking over 6bn in combined compensation for alleged competition law breaches. Claimants allege commissions of up to 30% — the "Apple tax" — inflated costs for consumers and developers. If the appeal fails, UK purchasers who bought through the App Store between 2015 and 2024 could be eligible for payouts. Apple says most apps pay 15% and that the App Store supports the UK digital economy.

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