In a recent development, disgruntled consumers have initiated a class-action lawsuit against Apple Inc. alleging anti-competitive practices in the peer-to-peer (P2P) payments domain within iOS.
According to a report by CoinTelegraph on Monday, the complaint – filed in a California District Court on November 17 – accuses Apple of entering into anti-competitive agreements with PayPal’s Venmo and Block’s Cash App. The lawsuit claims these agreements restrict the use of decentralized cryptocurrency technology within payment apps, leading to users facing rapidly inflating prices.
The plaintiffs argue that Apple exerts “unfettered control” over the apps installed on its devices through “technological and contractual restraints.” This control, they say, allows Apple to force new iOS P2P payment apps to exclude cryptocurrency as a prerequisite for entry into the market.
Identifying themselves as customers who have been charged inflated fees due to Apple’s trade restraints, the plaintiffs are seeking recovery for these excess charges. In addition, they are asking for injunctive relief to prevent Apple from enforcing anti-competitive agreements that restrain competition in the iOS P2P Payment Market.
Previously, in April, the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that Apple had breached California’s competition laws by not permitting apps to steer users towards non-Apple linked payment solutions.