Apple won the antitrust case: the court canceled the class action status
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers canceled the class action status against Apple, which accused the company of monopolizing the iPhone app market, allowing only individual lawsuits.
In the case dating back to 2011, Apple was accused of restricting iPhone users to downloading apps exclusively through the App Store. This court decision means the case can no longer represent all iPhone users who purchased apps through the App Store, due to the plaintiffs’ inability to prove harm to all consumers and develop an effective damage calculation mechanism.
In 2023, the court granted the case class action status, relying on expert promises to develop a functional damage assessment model. However, it turned out that the expert assessment contained significant errors that failed to reliably link Apple’s payment records with users.
Judge Rogers concluded that the expert involved by the plaintiffs was not sufficiently qualified, and his testimony was dismissed. This decision means that any other claims against Apple can only be filed individually, although the plaintiffs have already stated their intention to appeal the decision.
This case again draws attention to discussions about app distribution models and control over them in the ecosystems of major tech companies. The plaintiffs’ further legal actions could have a significant impact on the mobile app market.
