Apple Gets Big Shock In India, CCI Denies Request of Company to Stop Investigation

Difficulties may increase for American devices maker Apple in the country. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has refused to stop the investigation against the company for violation of competition law. Apple is accused of misusing its dominant position in the market.

Reuters report quoting CCI’s internal order states that Apple’s request to withhold the investigation report has been found to be false. CCI, the company and the main complainant in the case, Together We Fight Society, did not respond to queries. The company was found guilty of suppressing competitors on its iOS operating system.

This investigation against Apple was started about four years ago. This was related to the company’s alleged misuse of its dominant position in the apps market. Apple was accused of forcing developers to use its proprietary in-app purchase system due to its strong position in the apps market. For this the developers had to pay up to 30 percent fees. In August this year, CCI, on the company’s request, had asked all its rivals to return the report of this investigation. However, this order did not specify which confidential information Apple was concerned about. A source with knowledge of the matter had said that Apple is worried about the disclosure of revenue and market share figures of its App Store in the country. Reuters reported in July that two reports by the CCI’s investigation unit in 2022 and 2024 had found that Apple had abused its dominant position in the app stores market on its iOS operating system.

The firms that CCI had asked to return the reports included Match, which runs dating app Tinder, and ADIF, a startup group representing financial services-related Paytm. Apple had said in its complaint to CCI that the report shared with its rivals in this matter had revealed confidential information related to the company’s business. For this reason this report should be recalled.