Apple, Inc. v. Pepper

iPhone owners said Apple monopolized the market for iPhone apps through the App Store and made them pay more. On May 13, 2019, the Court said those consumers bought apps directly from Apple, so they may pursue an antitrust damages claim against the company.

The Court said iPhone owners were direct purchasers who may sue Apple, but the prompt does not give the vote count or opinion lineup.

The decision lets App Store customers try to seek money damages if they say Apple's app sales system raised prices. That matters to everyday iPhone users who buy apps through Apple's store.

The Supreme Court has finished with this case. The lawsuit could continue in the lower courts, where the consumers would still have to prove their antitrust claims.

The issue was whether iPhone users who bought apps through Apple's App Store could sue Apple for alleged overcharges. Apple argued the prices were set by third parties, not by direct sales from Apple.

It allows App Store customers to try seeking damages if they can prove Apple's system inflated app prices. That could affect millions of people who buy apps on iPhones.

The Supreme Court's work on this docket ended. The case could move forward in lower court for more litigation over whether Apple actually violated antitrust law.