Apple’s long-standing friction with international regulators has found a sharp new edge in India. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has accelerated its antitrust proceedings against the tech giant after Apple reportedly failed to provide required financial data. A final hearing is now scheduled for May 21, leaving the company with a narrowing window to comply with transparency mandates or face a penalty that could theoretically reach $38 billion.
The dispute centers on the App Store’s ecosystem—specifically, whether Apple leverages its control over the iPhone to mandate the exclusive use of its own payment systems. The investigation, which began in 2021 following complaints from local startups and the Match Group, mirrors global scrutiny of the "walled garden" business model. While Apple has argued that its market share in India remains small compared to Android’s dominance, its presence has grown significantly, climbing from 4% to 9% in just two years.
Indian regulators appear increasingly unwilling to accept procedural delays. Apple’s attempts to stall the investigation through judicial appeals and challenges to the validity of India’s fine structure have been rebuffed. If the CCI decides to calculate a potential fine based on global turnover—a possibility under current law—the financial repercussions would be unprecedented. For now, the burden of proof rests on a two-week deadline for documents that Apple has, until now, kept close to the chest.
With reporting from Olhar Digital.
Source · Olhar Digital
