Apple has accused India’s antitrust watchdog of relying heavily on competitor complaints rather than conducting an independent investigation into its App Store practices. The allegations were made in regulatory documents reviewed by Reuters, where the company claimed that the Director General (DG) handling the case “parroted” rival submissions instead of verifying them independently.
According to Apple, portions of the investigation report closely mirror complaints filed by companies such as Match Group, Walmart-backed PhonePe, and Paytm. The tech giant also presented comparison tables to highlight what it described as verbatim similarities between the regulator’s findings and rival allegations.
Apple further alleged that the Competition Commission of India (CCI) reproduced data and charts from a previous European Union antitrust case without adapting them to the Indian market. The company argued that India’s digital ecosystem is significantly different, citing variations in consumer behaviour, pricing structures, competition, and market dynamics.
In 2024, a CCI investigation had alleged that Apple abused its dominant position by mandating the use of its in-app payment system on the App Store, restricting alternative payment options for developers. Apple, however, has denied any wrongdoing, stating that it holds less than 6% of India’s smartphone market and does not hold a dominant position.
The company warned that forcing changes to its App Store framework could disrupt its tightly integrated ecosystem, which combines hardware, software, security, and payment systems. It further argued that any imposed remedies could create regulatory uncertainty and potentially discourage future investment in India’s growing digital economy.
Apple maintained that its App Store operates as a secure and unified platform and said that any forced modifications could undermine its business model and impact user experience.
Recent Random Post:
