A host of lawsuits may be headed Apple’s way as it has lost a Supreme Court case today. The case itself was over whether or not Apple can be sued by customers of the company’s App Store. The technology giant lost in a 5-4 decision in which Judge Brett Kavanaugh joined the traditionally liberal judges. CNBC reports:
The Supreme Court on Monday ruled 5-4 against Apple in a case involving its signature electronic marketplace, the App Store, allowing iPhone users to move forward with their suit against the company.
The iPhone users argued that Apple’s 30% commission on sales through the App Store was passed along to consumers, an unfair use of monopoly power.
Apple argued that only app developers, and not users, should be able to bring such a lawsuit. But the Supreme Court, in an opinion authored by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, rejected that claim.
“Apple’s line-drawing does not make a lot of sense, other than as a way to gerrymander Apple out of this and similar lawsuits,” Kavanaugh wrote.
Shares of Apple, already battered by trade concerns, were down more than 5%, lagging the broader market. The result was widely expected after arguments in November, during which the justices seemed skeptical of Apple’s arguments.
The legal battle over the company’s online marketplace has dragged on for nearly a decade. Hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties could hang on the outcome.
Read more here.
The full decision can be read here:
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