Apple can now be sued for monopolising the iPhone apps market by limiting download options, the ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled.

A legal challenge was filed in 2012 by a group of iPhone users who believed not allowing consumers to purchase apps outside the App Store was an anticompetitive practice and led to higher prices.

Apple’s defence was it merely rents out space to developers who give it a cut of their revenue in return. The company also argued users actually purchase apps from developers not the tech giant.

However, Judge William A. Fletcher ruled users do purchase apps directly from Apple.

While the ruling establishes consumers right to sue, the substance of the allegations is yet to be addressed.

“The obvious solution is to compel Apple to let people shop for applications wherever they want, which would open the market and help lower prices,” Mark C. Rifkin, an attorney representing the group of iPhone users, told Reuters.

“The other alternative is for Apple to pay people damages for the higher than competitive prices they’ve had to pay historically because Apple has utilised its monopoly,” he added.