Apple is facing a £2 billion (US$2.7 billion) lawsuit filed at London's Competition Appeal Tribunal on behalf of UK app developers over its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature, officials confirmed on September 3 and 4, 2026 [1, 2, 3]. The lawsuit alleges Apple abused its market power by imposing stricter ATT rules on third-party apps than on its own services, which gave Apple's advertising business a competitive edge [1, 2, 3].
Ann Pope, a former senior official at Britain's Competition and Markets Authority, is leading the legal action. She said, "This action is important to protect the rights of British businesses that depend on Apple, to ensure that the rules that Apple applies are fair, and to compensate the losses that British companies have suffered" [1].
Apple introduced the ATT feature in 2021, requiring apps to obtain user consent before tracking their activity across other apps and websites [1, 2, 3]. The feature has faced growing regulatory scrutiny across Europe, with authorities in Germany, France, Italy, Poland, and other countries investigating its enforcement [1, 2, 3].
In August 2026, Germany’s Federal Cartel Office found that Apple favored its own apps by applying looser ATT consent requirements and reached an agreement with Apple to make changes in the European Union [1, 3]. Apple has also been fined €150 million in France in 2025 and nearly €100 million in Italy over similar ATT concerns [2, 3].
Apple responded that it is bound by the same ATT requirements as all developers. An Apple spokesman said, "Apple is bound by the exact same requirements as all developers under ATT, and this feature has been embraced by our customers and praised by privacy advocates" [2].
The UK lawsuit marks a significant escalation in legal challenges over Apple's privacy policies. The Competition Appeal Tribunal will now review the claims brought by UK developers on behalf of British businesses affected by Apple's ATT rules [1].
