Represented by Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz, a would-be class of consumers claimed that Apple corners the market for iPhone apps and thus enjoys monopoly pricing. Apple charges developers a 30 percent fee for the apps they sell, forcing consumers to fork over much more than they would in a free market, the plaintiffs alleged.
In an 11-page order issued Monday, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers of the Northern District of California granted Apple’s motion to dismiss In re Apple iPhone Antitrust Litigation, 11-6714. She concluded that consumers do not have standing to challenge Apple’s 30 percent fee because the cost is passed on to them by developers.
