by Dan Moren
App Store antitrust case will be heard by Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Apple Inc.’s bid to kill an antitrust lawsuit over the market for iPhone apps in a case that could shield e-commerce companies from consumer claims over high commissions.
The lawsuit accuses Apple of monopolizing the app market so it can charge excessive commissions of 30 percent. Apple, backed by the Trump administration, says it can’t be sued because the commission is levied on the app developers, not the purchasers who are suing.
So, I’m sure this will get misinterpreted as the Supreme Court hearing a case as to whether or not the App Store is a monopoly when in fact the issue at stake here is whether or not consumers have the standing to sue Apple on antitrust grounds.1 So while it’s still significant for its implications, it doesn’t immediately threaten the App Store’s existence.
- The usual “I am not a lawyer” disclaimer applies here. ↩