China SAMR antitrust complaint against Apple over App Store fees

A Chinese law firm has filed a new antitrust complaint with the State Administration for Market Regulation on behalf of 55 iPhone and iPad users, alleging that Apple abuses its control over app distribution and payments on iOS. The filing challenges the App Store model in China, saying Apple restricts the use of third party payment systems within apps, confines iOS downloads to the App Store and charges commissions of up to 30 percent on in app purchases.

The complaint, lodged by attorney Wang Qiongfei, seeks regulatory enforcement rather than a civil judgment and adds a comparative argument to earlier claims. It notes that Apple has permitted alternative payment methods and app distribution changes in other jurisdictions following regulatory pressure, including measures in the European Union and rulings in the United States. "I expect this complaint to move faster through the country's regulators than the civil lawsuit did," Wang said. He is simultaneously appealing a previous civil case to the Supreme People's Court.

The new filing echoes a 2021 lawsuit brought by an individual user that demanded Apple stop collecting the App Store fee and pay damages. That case was dismissed...