Apple facing $2.7 billion UK lawsuit over 'unfair' app tracking rules

Apple faces yet another lawsuit over its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) policy, this time in the UK with a twist. The £2 billion ($2.7 billion) lawsuit, filed at London's Competition Appeal Tribunal, accuses Apple of abusing its power to unfairly impose greater restrictions on third-party app developers. While Apple claims its rules are consistent, as its own apps don't request ATT permission, the third-party apps are required to do so.

The lawsuit, brought on behalf of app developers by Ann Pope, a former senior official with the Competition and Markets Authority, alleges significant harm to businesses dependent on Apple as a gatekeeper. Pope said the company's policy "resulted in very significant harm to businesses that depend on Apple as a gatekeeper" and called for fair rules to compensate the losses suffered by British companies.

Apple has faced three previous complaints to the UK regulator, with the first one resulting in loss but the second still ongoing.