APP STORE FEES : CHALLENGED

SAN FRANCISCO : A group of Apple's Inc's critics - including Spotify Technology SA, Match Group Inc and ''Fortnite'' creator Epic Games have joined a non-profit group that plans to advocate for legal and regulatory action to challenge the iPhone maker's App Store practices.

Apple charges a commission in the range of 15-30 percent for apps that use its in-app payment system and sets out extensive rules, which is the only way the giant allows consumers to download native apps to devices such as the iPhone. Those practices have drawn criticism and formal legal complaints from some developers.

The Coalition for App Fairness, structured as a non-profit based in Washington, DC and Brussels, said it plans to advocate legal amendments that would force Apple to change.

Beyond Epic, Match and Spotify, other members include smaller firms such as Basecamp, Blix, Blockchain.com, Deezer and Tile, along with developers from Europe including the European Publishers Council, News Media Europe and ProtonMail.

Epic is suing Apple over antitrust claims in a US federal court in California, while Spotify has filed an antitrust complaint in the EU. [Reuters]