Apple App Store Abuse of Dominance
The Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (“CIPPIC”), a public interest legal clinic at the University of Ottawa focused on technology law, has filed a request for leave to bring a private competition law application against Apple Canada Inc. and Apple Inc. under section 103.1 of the Competition Act.
The Claims: This case deals with the controls Apple exercises over its App Store, and alleges that Apple leveraged its control over the App Store to (1) maintain a “walled garden” ecosystem where all iOS apps for Canadian users must be distributed exclusively via the Canadian App Store; (2) require developers to use Apple’s in-app payment system exclusively, which has high commissions and prohibits alternatives; (3) enforce anti-steering provisions that restrict developers from using alternative payment options; and (4) use one-sided contracts that perpetuate these and other anti-competitive restrictions on developers. All of this is alleged to increase prices paid by consumers while also squeezing the margins for developers.
Relief Sought: This case seeks an order to prohibit the restrictions that Apple uses within the App Store and monetary remedies for developers and affected consumers.
This is not a class action, but if it is successful, money can be distributed similarly to a class action. The Competition Tribunal will decide at the end of the case to whom the money should be distributed.
- January 2, 2026: The Competition Tribunal issued its notice confirming that it can hear the application for leave.
- December 23, 2025: The Commissioner of Competition certified that there is no ongoing investigation, allowing this case to proceed.
- December 18, 2025: We filed an application for leave.
- Notice of Application for Leave dated December 22, 2025 (a machine-generated French translation is available here)
- All documents are available on the Competition Tribunal’s website.
