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India issues final warning to Apple in long-running App Store antitrust probe

MacDailyNews

Jan 15

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India’s Competition Commission (CCI) has delivered a final warning to Apple, stating it will advance its antitrust investigation against the U.S. tech giant without further delay. A confidential order reveals that Apple has repeatedly postponed providing responses to regulators for over a year, despite multiple extensions, thereby hindering and undermining the probe.

The case centers on allegations that Apple abused its dominant position in the iOS App Store by enforcing restrictive practices, such as mandatory use of its in-app payment system. Apple strongly denies the claims.The company has expressed concerns that it could face penalties of up to $38 billion if the CCI applies fines based on its global turnover — a method introduced under India’s updated competition law. To challenge this approach, Apple has filed a case in the Delhi High Court, where the matter remains pending, with a key hearing scheduled for January 27, 2026.

Reuters:
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While the Delhi High Court is still hearing that challenge, a confidential December 31 order from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) shows Apple privately sought to pause the entire case while the penalty‑rules dispute is before the court. The CCI rejected the request.
“The Commission is of the considered view that repeated extensions, despite unambiguous directions, undermine procedural discipline and impede the timely conclusion of proceedings,” CCI noted in its order, seen by Reuters. “Such indulgence cannot be continued indefinitely,” it added, giving Apple a final warning that it will proceed in the case unilaterally if no response is received by next week.
A source familiar with the matter said Apple views CCI’s December order as a move to preempt the ongoing court proceedings and the company was not likely to respond to it before the judges hear it next on January 27.
Since 2022, Tinder-owner Match and Indian startups have been locked in an antitrust battle with Apple. Investigators in 2024 issued a report saying the U.S. smartphone company engaged in “abusive conduct” on the iOS apps market.

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MacDailyNews Take: “Final warning.” Pfft.

We get the feeling that inside the Indian government — which fairly screams “clusterfsck!” — the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing.

Seriously, India, do you want to make iPhones or not? Do you want to make chips or not? Do you want to make Macs, iPads, AirPods, Apple Watches, etc., or not? Do you want jobs, or not?

How much did it cost developers to have their apps burned onto CDs, boxed, shipped, displayed on store shelves prior to Apple remaking the world for the better for umpteenth time? Does Apple not have costs to store, review, organize, surface, and distribute apps to 1+ billion users? – MacDailyNews, July 30, 2021

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