Apple lost its challenge at Germany's top civil court on Tuesday against its classification as a significant market power, a label which gives antitrust regulators more scope and flexibility to scrutinise its business practices.

Apple has lost an appeal in Germany on how much it dominates the smartphone market, and is now staring down antitrust penalties in the country on top of everything else it faces in the European Union.

Apple Inc. lost its fight at Germany’s top civil court to overturn a regulator’s decision to put it under tighter antitrust scrutiny alongside other US tech giants.