According to engadget, Apple is escalating its legal fight against a massive UK antitrust fine by filing to appeal to the UK’s Court of Appeal. This move follows a refusal from the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) to grant an appeal of its own October 2025 ruling. That ruling found Apple exploited its App Store dominance, imposing a fine of £1.5 billion, or roughly $2 billion. The CAT based its decision on a proposed developer fee rate of 15 to 20 percent, reached through “informed guesswork,” rather than Apple’s standard 30 percent cut. If upheld, the colossal fine would be distributed to any UK App Store user who made purchases between 2015 and 2024. Apple has argued the CAT holds a “flawed view” of the competitive app economy but hasn’t officially commented on this latest appeal.
Apple draws a line in the sand
Here’s the thing: this isn’t just about two billion dollars for Apple. Sure, that’s a staggering amount of money, but the real stakes are the precedent. The CAT’s ruling, which you can read in full here, essentially used estimation to set what it thinks is a fair App Store commission. That’s a huge deal. It means a regulator isn’t just saying “you abused your power,” but is actively trying to define a fair price for Apple’s services. Apple’s entire argument hinges on the idea that its 30% fee is justified for the security, distribution, and tools it provides. Let a court start setting that rate through “informed guesswork,” and you’ve opened a door Apple desperately wants to keep closed, not just in the UK but globally.
The wider legal battlefield
So why fight this so hard? Look at the landscape. Apple is facing similar pressure from the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which forced it to allow alternative app stores and payment systems. In the US, the Epic Games lawsuit chipped away at its control. Appealing this UK case to the highest possible level is a strategic move to contain the fallout. If they lose here, it becomes a powerful blueprint for regulators and class-action lawsuits everywhere. It’s a defensive war on multiple fronts. The company’s statement about the “flawed view of the thriving and competitive app economy” is their standard, almost reflexive, PR line at this point. But behind it is a very real fear: that courts will transition from ruling on specific conduct to actively regulating their business model.
What happens next?
Basically, we’re in for a long wait. The Court of Appeal will have to decide if it even wants to hear the case. If it does, we’re talking years of legal arguments, not months. And during all that time, the fine is on hold. For UK consumers hoping for a check, don’t hold your breath. This is a marathon. The real question is whether Apple’s aggressive legal strategy will work, or if it will eventually face a domino effect of similar rulings worldwide. I think they’ll throw every resource they have at this, because the alternative—a world where government tribunals set their prices—is their nightmare scenario. It’s a fundamental challenge to their walled-garden philosophy, and they’re not going to give it up without a fight that goes to the very top.
