Reference News Network, October 25 report - According to AFP, on Thursday, Apple lost a lawsuit in the UK. The lawsuit accused the American tech giant of abusing its dominant market position in the "App Store." The plaintiffs requested Apple to compensate over £1.5 billion (about $2 billion).

The UK Competition Appeal Tribunal found that Apple suppressed competition in the app distribution market and charged app developers "excessive and unfair" commissions.

Apple stated it "strongly opposed" the ruling and planned to appeal.

This "app store" lawsuit was brought by scholars from King's College London, Rachel Kent, and Hausfeld LLP on behalf of millions of iPhone and iPad users in the UK.

According to AP, London, October 22, British antitrust regulators turned their focus on Google and Apple's "strategic" positions in the mobile ecosystem, paving the way for regulators to require them to adjust their business practices to promote competition.

The UK Competition and Markets Authority recognized these two American tech companies as having a "strategic market position," thereby escalating their scrutiny. Previously, the CMA had investigated Google's Android system and Apple's iOS system separately this year under newly enacted digital market regulations. This regulation aims to protect consumers and businesses from unfair practices by large tech companies.

This decision had been anticipated. In July, the CMA proposed this classification recommendation, but sought public opinion before issuing the final decision.

Google called the decision "disappointing, overreaching, and baseless," arguing previously that the Android system saved costs for app developers because they did not need to adapt to different operating system modes for each smartphone.

Oliver Bessell, Google's senior director of competition, said: "After the CMA's decision today, we face a series of new and currently uncertain rules in our mobile business in the UK."

Earlier this month, the CMA used its new powers for the first time in another investigation into Google's role in the online search advertising market, where it also recognized Google as having a "strategic market position."

The CMA stated that the recognition of "strategic market position" does not mean there has been any wrongdoing, but it means the regulatory body has the authority to take targeted measures to promote market competition and ensure fair treatment for consumers and businesses.

The CMA pointed out that Apple and Google have formed an "essential duopoly" in the UK, with 90% to 100% of mobile devices running one of these two mobile platforms. Its investigation found a range of issues affecting businesses and consumers, such as unpredictable app review processes, inconsistent app store search rankings, and up to 30% commission on in-app purchases. (Translation/ Yang Ke)

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7565097152215990822/

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