Apple is under scrutiny and criticism again but this time in India where the iPhone maker is facing another antitrust lawsuit in which antimonopoly regulators are probing into Apple’s practices that pertain to fair competition.
Apple Forces Hefty Fees on Apps
Reuters exclusively reported that Apple is hit with a case by a non-profit group with the Competition Commission of India (CCI) which accuses the iPhone maker of forcing app developers to use its in-app purchase system, which gives Apple up to 30% commission on downloads and in-app subscriptions.
Such hefty fees hurt competition as it raises costs for app developers as well as customers.
Interestingly enough, Apple is undergoing similar antitrust investigations in the US, Europe, and now in Asia as many app developers have repeatedly raised concerns.
Monopoly Regulators to Divest Google, Apple's Power
It's worth mentioning that other app store operators such as Google also mandate app developers to use their very own in-app purchase system.
Our preliminary conclusion: @Apple is in breach of EU competition law. @AppleMusic compete with other music streaming services. But @Apple charges high commission fees on rivals in the App store & forbids them to inform of alternative subscription options. Consumers losing out.
— Margrethe Vestager (@vestager) April 30, 2021
On Tuesday, South Korean regulators okayed a bill that promotes fairer competition by prohibiting Google and Apple from forcing developers to use proprietary billing systems, meaning that both must allow alternative ways to pay.
