In 2012 Apple’s mighty briefs managed to get a US court to throw out the original claim that the company monopolised the market for iPhone apps by not allowing users to purchase them outside the App Store.

However, the case, bought by Apple iPhone users was appealed and the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals said that the case had legs and should be allowed to go ahead.

Apple had argued that users did not have standing to sue it because they purchased apps from developers and it simply rented out space to those developers. Developers pay a cut of their revenues to Apple in exchange for the right to sell in the App Store.

Judge William Fletcher ruled that since iPhone users purchase apps directly from Apple, iPhone users have the right to bring a legal challenge against Apple.

Of course, the case has yet to go to court, but at least iPhone users can make their voice heard against Jobs’ Mob even if it takes a court case and years to do so.

Since the case was bought, Apple has been discovered to make a habit of carrying out antitrust activity and was fined for it. Unfortunately, it also has a habit of refusing to admit that it does anything wrong – dragging out the inevitable to the Supreme Court if it has to.

If the iPhone users succeed, not only will Apple be fined rather a lot of dosh it must change its business model.

Apple fanboys will be allowed to shop for applications wherever they want, which would open the market and help lower prices. Apple has a problem with the word “lower prices” as it does not exist in its Apple thesaurus.