India’s Antitrust Regulator to Reportedly Investigate Apple’s App Store

India is reportedly planning to investigate Apple’s App Store.

A new report from Reuters explains that the Competition Commission of India (CCI), the country’s monopoly regulator, will soon be looking at an antitrust suit filed against Apple over how it mandates that app developers use Apple’s own in-app payment system — thereby giving Apple a cut of those payments — when publishers charge users for subscriptions and other items in their apps.

The suit, filed by an Indian non-profit called “Together We Fight Society,” said in a statement that it was representing consumer and startup interests in its complaint. In its complaint, the NGO has said that Apple is allegedly misusing its ascendant position in the apps market by enforcing developers to utilize the company’s in-app purchase system.

“The existence of the 30% commission means that some app developers will never make it to the market … This could also result in consumer harm,” said the filing.

Unfortunately, the details of the case won’t be made public because it’s being reviewed by India’s competition body, the Competition Commission of India. However, according to the report, the CCI will review the case to determine whether a larger probe is necessary, or if the case has any merit at all. A source told Reuters there is a “high chance” an investigation will occur because of the aforementioned cases in other countries.

The report suggests that CCI will review the case in the coming weeks and investigate the allegations or forgo the case altogether if it finds no credibility in the said case.

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