Apple Calls India's Antitrust Findings a Copy of Rival Claims

*Apple has told the Competition Commission of India that its 2024 conclusions on App Store conduct were lifted from competitors and an EU graphic rather than derived from the regulator's own work.*

The Filing

On June 25 Apple submitted a detailed rebuttal to the CCI. The company asked the regulator to discard the entire set of findings. It stated that investigators had "blindly replicated" material supplied by rivals and had not performed independent analysis.

The filing comes ahead of a closed-door hearing with senior CCI officials. Apple named Match and a group of Indian startups as the sources whose claims were adopted without further scrutiny.

Background of the Case

The CCI opened its probe in 2021 after complaints about App Store fees. In 2024 its investigators privately concluded that Apple had engaged in abusive conduct by requiring developers to use its own payment system. The company has denied the claims throughout.

Apple noted that it holds less than 6 percent of India's smartphone market. It described itself as a "minuscule player" and argued that the scale of the allegations does not match its actual position.

Specific Allegations in the Submission

Apple pointed to one graphic on consumer spending that it says was taken directly from an EU regulatory document. The company contends this shows the CCI did not conduct its own data work. It also asserted that the regulator accepted competitor assertions about market definition and pricing without testing them.

The case has been described in some reports as involving potential penalties reaching $38 billion, though the CCI has not confirmed any final figure.

Why It Matters

The dispute shows how national regulators can lean on complaints from local firms and overseas precedents when building cases against large platforms. For developers and payment providers operating in India, the outcome will determine whether Apple must alter its App Store terms or whether the current investigation collapses on procedural grounds. The next closed hearing will indicate whether the CCI intends to defend its process or revise its approach.

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Sources:

• MacRumors
• AppleInsider

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