'Apple to face court over claims it overcharged UK users on App Store'

'Apple to face court over claims it overcharged UK users on App Store'
Image © Apple Inc.

Raphael Boyd, The Guardian:

The claim is being brought against the company by Dr Rachael Kent, an academic at King’s College London, on behalf of herself and about 19.6 million other iPhone and iPad users in the UK.

...

“This is the behaviour of a monopolist and is unacceptable. Ordinary people’s use of apps is growing all the time, and the last year in particular has increased our dependence on this technology. Apple has no right to charge us a 30% rent for so much of what we pay for on our phones – particularly when Apple itself is blocking our access to platforms and developers that are able to offer us much better deals. This is why I am taking this action.”

Singapore Buses has a monthly in-app subscription that costs users £0.99, of which I receive £0.70. Here's the thing, though: I set the price, not Apple. If Apple decided it was going to remove its 30% commission—a commission that is charged to developers, not end users—I'd still set the price at £0.99, because it's only £0.99.

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