App Store
Apple's store and the only sanctioned way to install apps on an iPhone — the model that created the app economy and then drew competition cases.
The store opened in July 2008 with just over 500 apps. The combination of central distribution, built-in payment and manual review made it possible for individual developers to reach millions of users with no infrastructure of their own — something that simply did not exist before.
The 30 per cent commission, cut to 15 for smaller developers in 2021, is the heart of the dispute. Epic Games' litigation and the EU's Digital Markets Act have forced openings: since 2024, alternative stores and payment routes are permitted within the EU, on terms developers have described as designed to make the alternatives unattractive.