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

Apple is currently embroiled in a £2bn (£2.7bn) lawsuit in London, filed on behalf of app developers, alleging the tech giant abused its power by imposing stricter restrictions on third-party app developers compared to its own services. The lawsuit was filed at London's Competition Appeal Tribunal on Thursday, following years of regulatory scrutiny into Apple's App Tracking Transparency feature.

Introduced in 2021, this feature allows users to control whether apps can track their activity across other companies' apps and websites. However, lawyers bringing the lawsuit argue that this feature has given Apple an unfair competitive advantage due to its more stringent requirements for third-party developers. Ann Pope, a former senior official with Britain's Competition and Markets Authority and the lead in this lawsuit, stated that Apple's policy has caused significant harm to businesses reliant on Apple as a gatekeeper.

She emphasized the importance of protecting British businesses' rights, ensuring fair application of Apple's rules, and compensating the losses suffered by these companies. Apple maintains that its App Tracking Transparency policy aims to provide users with a simple way to control app permissions and that it adheres to the same requirements as all developers.

The feature has been under investigation in Europe, notably in Germany, where Apple recently agreed to changes in rules for app developers using personal data for targeted advertising. Regulators in France, Italy, Poland, and other countries have also probed Apple's App Tracking Transparency framework.