Apple (AAPL.O) now faces a February 2026 trial in a $7 billion class action in California federal court. The lawsuit accuses the company of monopolizing the app market for its iPhones, alleging that this practice caused tens of millions of customers to pay higher prices. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers set the date for the jury trial in an order on Thursday, following an earlier ruling this year to certify the case as a class action comprising all U.S. Apple customers who spent $10 or more on Apple app or in-app purchases since 2008.
The lawsuit, filed in 2011, alleges that Apple artificially inflated the 30% sales commission charged to developers on its App Store. Plaintiffs claim that these overcharges were passed down to consumers, resulting in increased prices for apps. Court records show that an expert for the plaintiffs estimated damages ranging from $7 billion to $10 billion. In May, an appeals court declined Apple’s bid to hear its challenge to the class order before trial.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment but has consistently denied any wrongdoing. Mark Rifkin, an attorney for the plaintiffs from Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz, stated on Friday that “nearly all the pretrial work is complete and we are looking forward to the trial of this important case.”
In a related matter, Rogers is currently evaluating whether Apple has complied with an order requiring it to give developers more freedom to show consumers other payment options for in-app purchases.
Separately, Apple is facing lawsuits from the U.S. government and a group of states in federal court in New Jersey, alleging monopolization of the smartphone market. Apple has denied these claims and intends to seek dismissal of the lawsuit. The first major hearing in this case is scheduled for July 17.
