Developers sue Apple for $2.7 billion over tracking rules

Apple is being sued for $2.7 billion after a former UK antitrust regulator filed a claim on behalf of app developers. The lawsuit, filed last month, accuses the company of applying stricter rules to third‑party developers than to its own services under its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) policy. The suit says the policy gives Apple’s own advertising ecosystem an unfair advantage.

ATT launched in 2021 to let users control how apps track them across other apps and websites. Apple says it treats all developers the same under the rule. But regulators in Europe have challenged that claim. Germany’s competition watchdog, the Federal Cartel Office, found that Apple’s ATT pop‑ups were more likely to get users to give consent for Apple’s own apps than for third‑party apps.

The German regulator said the difference in the pop‑ups could “encourage users to give consent for Apple’s services while discouraging consent for external apps.” As a result, Apple agreed to change how ATT works in the European Union. France’s competition authority followed suit last year, fining the company €150 million (about $175 million) for similar concerns. These moves show that European regulators are tightening the net around Apple’s data‑tracking practices.

The lawsuit adds to a growing list of legal challenges for the tech giant. If the court sides with the developers, Apple could face a hefty fine and be forced to overhaul its tracking system. The outcome will affect how advertisers reach users and could reshape the mobile app market. The case is still in early stages, but it signals that regulators are increasingly willing to scrutinise big‑tech policies that may favour a company’s own services.