Judge certifies Apple app store class action

FILE PHOTO: The Apple logo is seen hanging at the entrance to the Apple store on 5th Avenue in Manhattan, New York, U.S., October 16, 2019. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo

(Reuters) - A federal judge on Friday said tens of millions of Apple customers can pursue a class action accusing the company of monopolizing the market for iPhone apps by banning purchases outside its App Store, leading to higher prices.

U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers had in March 2022 refused to certify a class action, but changed her mind after the class was narrowed to include only Apple account holders who spent $10 or more on app or in-app content.