According to organizers, Apple is the focus of a class action lawsuit seeking more than $1 billion in damages from developers upset about the high price it charges to sell apps to consumers of its products.
Sean Ennis, a competition lecturer at the University of East Anglia, filed the action on behalf of 1,500 British software developers.
“Apple has abused its dominant market position by charging an excessive ‘commission’ — typically 30 percent — on apps and in-app purchases of digital content,” said a statement released by the university.
Apple has faced scrutiny in the United States and Europe over its hold over its App Store and the inability of app developers to sell directly to Apple customers.
“Apple has a dominant position in the market for app distribution on iOS devices, since the App Store is the only available channel for distributing apps to iOS device users,” Ennis said.
“The charges are unfair in their own right, and constitute abusive pricing. They harm app developers and also app buyers,” said the statement.
The lawsuit is seeking 785 million pounds ($1.0 billion) in compensation for the British developers.
Apple said last December that it plans to give developers more freedom in fixing their prices on the App Store.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.