Lawyers in Australia are recruiting app developers to participate in a class action against Google and Apple, alleging abuse of market power through imposing a 30% commission on in-app purchases and prohibiting alternative payment options.
A class action has been filed against Apple and Google, similar to a legal action initiated by Epic Games in 2020. The trial for the case against Apple is scheduled for March 2024, and the Federal Court denied Google’s request for a stay on proceedings last year.
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Apple and Google have faced scrutiny from global authorities regarding their app store fees. In 2021, Apple settled a class action lawsuit in the US and agreed to allow app developers to use other payment methods.
The ACCC, a local competition regulator, has included the issue in its digital platforms services inquiry. In 2021, the US introduced legislation to address anticompetitive behavior in mobile app marketplaces.
