U.S. consumer lawsuit against Apple over ‘closed app ecosystem’ dismissed
Apple scored a legal win on Thursday. A California court dismissed a lawsuit claiming Apple restricted app development tools, forcing higher iPhone prices. This defeat for consumers leaves them without a class-action case on this issue.
U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg in San Francisco said the plaintiffs did not have legal standing to pursue their antitrust claims for now that Apple made unlawful agreements with Google and other browser makers to block competing developer technology.
Three residents of California and Illinois sued Cupertino, California-based Apple in January, challenging what they called its “closed ecosystem of apps and services” and seeking an order that could have blocked the company from requiring developers to use its app browser engine WebKit.
Apple denied violating antitrust law. “Apple’s prices are not artificially inflated; they are competitive in light of the fierce competition Apple faces from its competitors,” the company told the court in June.
Seeborg in his ruling said Apple’s arguments for dismissal “cast doubt on whether plaintiffs are the correct class of harmed individuals to bring this case.”
He gave the plaintiffs 30 days to file an amended lawsuit.
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