A group of 55 Chinese iPhone and iPad users filed a complaint with China's market regulator on Monday, a lawyer representing the group said, alleging that Apple abuses its market dominance by restricting app distribution and payments to its own platforms while charging high commissions.

The complaint to the State Administration for Market Regulation scrutinises Apple amid heightened trade tensions between Beijing and Washington.

The complainants, led by lawyer Wang Qiongfei, argue that Apple maintains a monopoly over iOS app distribution in China while permitting alternative payment methods and app stores in other markets following regulatory pressure from the European Union and United States.

The filing accuses Apple of three main violations of China's Anti-Monopoly Law: forcing consumers to purchase digital goods exclusively through Apple's In-App Purchase system, restricting iOS app downloads to the App Store, and charging commissions of up to 30 percent on in-app purchases.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

This marks the second complaint against Apple led by Wang. A similar case filed in 2021 was dismissed by a Shanghai court last year.

Wang said he expected this administrative complaint to move faster through regulators than the previous civil lawsuit, whose verdict he is appealing to the Supreme People's Court.

That court heard arguments on the appeal in December and a ruling is still pending, according to Wang. (Reuters)