Apple challenges India antitrust probe, says investigators copied rivals' claims

Apple accused India’s Competition Commission investigators of “copy-pasting” rivals’ claims in a June 25 filing that said the probe into its App Store rules should be thrown out. The challenge landed as the company fought findings that it abused its position on iOS apps and forced developers to use Apple’s own payment system, a dispute that could alter how Apple charges for access to one of the world’s most important smartphone markets.

The investigators concluded in 2024 that Apple had engaged in “abusive conduct” on the iOS apps platform and had wrongly required developers to route payments through Apple. Apple denied the allegations and called itself a “minuscule player” in India, saying it held less than 6% of the country’s smartphone market.

Apple argued that the report leaned heavily on complaints from Match, PhonePe and Paytm rather than on an independent review of the evidence. It also said the Competition Commission document reused material, including a graphic, from a 2024 European Union ruling and that Apple was denied an opportunity to present oral evidence before the findings were finalized. The filing framed those defects as enough to invalidate the investigation.

The dispute began in 2021, when Together We Fight Society filed the initial complaint and later won support from Match Group and the Alliance of Digital India Foundation. The Competition Commission formally opened its investigation in December 2021, focusing on Apple’s requirement that app developers use its in-app payment system, which can carry fees of up to 30%.

Apple warned that any forced changes to the App Store could unsettle the integrated hardware, software and services model that underpins its business. It also argued that penalties or behavioral remedies could create regulatory uncertainty and discourage investment in India’s digital economy.

A closed-door hearing with all parties is scheduled for July 21, keeping the case on track toward a possible penalty decision. Apple also agreed in June to provide India-specific financial data to the regulator, a step that could sharpen the financial stakes for developers and push the case closer to resolution.

The company’s fight in India followed a familiar pattern in antitrust battles over platform power, fees and payment rules. Google has also battled the Competition Commission in India and was later forced to change how it promoted Android, a reminder that arguments from global tech companies do not always stop local regulators from imposing remedies. For Apple, the outcome will help determine whether its App Store fees and payment controls can withstand the same scrutiny in India that they face from competition authorities elsewhere.