Apple Raised UK Banking Costs, Lawsuit Alleges

A class action lawsuit has been filed in the UK alleging that Apple abused its market position by limiting access to the iPhone’s NFC technology and charging fees to banks for using Apple Pay. The claim seeks up to £1.5 billion (approximately $2 billion) on behalf of an estimated 50 million UK consumers, arguing that Apple’s restrictions forced banks to use Apple Pay and pass the associated fees – around 0.15% per transaction – onto consumers through higher charges on financial products. The lawsuit contends that Apple Pay became the only contactless mobile payment option for iPhone users in the UK after its 2015 launch, due to Apple’s refusal to allow third-party access to the iPhone’s NFC hardware.

Apple has dismissed the lawsuit as “misguided” and stated that it does not charge consumers or merchants for using Apple Pay, and that banks benefit from reduced fraud with the service. The company also highlighted recent changes expanding access to NFC and the Secure Element for third-party developers.

The Competition Appeal Tribunal will determine whether the case can proceed as a collective action. The potential payout per consumer is estimated at £26 to £35 if successful.

(Source：MacRumors)