据Jeremy Hodges和Samuel Stolton报道，谷歌被指控向安卓应用开发者过度收费长达十余年，导致约2000万英国客户在Play Store上支付了虚高价格。
Google was accused of overcharging Android app developers for over a decade, leading to inflated priced on the Play Store for about 20 million UK customers.
律师周二在伦敦竞争上诉法庭集体诉讼开庭时表示，这家美国巨头对数字购买征收的30%费用违反了竞争法，自2015年以来受影响的消费者可能获得高达12亿英镑（约16亿美元）的赔偿。
The US giant’s 30% levy for digital purchases violated competition law and consumers affected since 2015 could be in line for a £1.2 billion ($1.6 billion) payout, lawyers representing them said on Tuesday at the start of a class action case at the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London.
律师在法庭文件中表示：“摆脱了竞争束缚，谷歌利用其市场优势榨取不公平价格，损害用户利益，为自己带来了近二十年的超额回报。”谷歌一贯否认从事任何反竞争行为。
“Free of competitive shackles, Google has exploited its market strength to extract unfair prices to the detriment of users and generated extraordinary returns for almost two decades,” the lawyers said in court filings. Google has consistently denied the that it has engaged in any anti-competitive conduct. customers.
应用商店引来了全球监管机构的严格审查。苹果公司的平台也成为欧盟调查和美国开发商Epic Games起诉的目标。英国竞争与市场管理局认定苹果和谷歌在移动平台市场构成实际双寡头垄断，并采取措施为强大科技企业的行为设置护栏。
App stores have attracted intense scrutiny from regulators across the world. Apple Inc.’s platform has also been the target of a European Union investigation and a U.S. lawsuit from developer Epic Games. The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority found that Apple and Google held an effective duopoly in the mobile platforms market and put in place measures that place guardrails for how powerful tech firms behave.
欧盟因苹果涉嫌扼杀竞争于2024年对其处以18亿欧元（约20亿美元）罚款，随后又根据《数字市场法案》追加罚款5亿欧元。
The EU handed a €1.8 billion ($2 billion) fine against Apple over allegation it stifled competition in 2024, and then a later penalty of €500 million under the bloc’s Digital Markets Act.
谷歌Play Store今年因限制应用开发者自由沟通并引导用户使用更便宜的替代购买渠道，被罚款4.3亿欧元。
Google’s Play Store was fined €430 million this year for restricting app developers from freely communicating and directing users to cheaper alternative purchase channels.
周二的诉讼紧随去年消费者的一项重大胜利之后，当时竞争上诉法庭裁定苹果滥用支配地位向应用开发者收取过高佣金。该案将于明年在上诉法院审理。
Tuesday’s claim follows a significant win for consumers last year in which the CAT ruled that Apple abused its dominant position to charge excessive commission from app developers. That case will be heard at the Court of Appeal next year.