India Antitrust Watchdog Orders Investigation Into Apple's Business Practices

Indian antitrust watchdog on Friday ordered an investigation into Apple's business practices -- in particular, the company mandating iPhone app developers to use a proprietary payments system -- in India, where the American firm commands less than 2% of the smartphone market. From a report: The Competition Commission of India, which ordered the Director General to conduct the probe within 60 days, said it is of the prima facie view that the mandatory use of Apple's in-app payments system for paid apps and in-app purchases "restrict[s] the choice available to the app developers to select a payment processing system of their choice especially considering when it charges a commission of up to 30% for app purchases and in-app purchases."

Happy to see monopoly being challenged

[tedr2]

I have always hated apples wall garden monopoly and naked greed, and am happy to see it being challenged in as many countries as possible.

Re:

[LeeLynx]

Why exactly do you think these two remedies are somehow mutually exclusive? Are saying that bad behavior should not be punished, it should merely not be encouraged? Seems like it might be a little complex. Unlike you.

Re:

[NoMoreACs]

Why exactly do you think these two remedies are somehow mutually exclusive? Are saying that bad behavior should not be punished, it should merely not be encouraged? Seems like it might be a little complex. Unlike you.

No, it is not "bad behavior".

Apple cannot engage in monopolistic behavior, simply
Because it is nowhere near a monopoly in any of the device-classes it sells (smartphones, tablets, computers, trackers, earbuds/headphones).

Re:

[LeeLynx]

Care to provide a list of the other options Apple permits iPhone owners for app stores? Or do you just not understand what constitutes "monopolistic behavior"?

(Hint: it's the second one. I thought you might need some help.)

Re:

[NoMoreACs]

Care to provide a list of the other options Apple permits iPhone owners for app stores? Or do you just not understand what constitutes "monopolistic behavior"?

(Hint: it's the second one. I thought you might need some help.)

Don't need a list.

Their sandbox; their rules.

Every single Developer, every single Customer, all made a free, conscious, and (by this time, surely) informed decision to play by those Rules.

If you truly believe that doesn’t constitute exercising an option, I know you don't know what that phrase means.

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[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

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[mark-t]

Please explain how a company that has less than 2% of the smartphone market in that country is effectively functioning as any kind of monopoly.

Yes, they control what payment is accepted on the iPhone, but they *ONLY* control it on the iPhone. Explain why that is a bad thing, exactly.

Re: Happy to see monopoly being challenged

[tiananmen tank man]

They only have 2% of the smartphone market cause you generalized the market, but if you look at iOS app stores, apple has a monopoly

Re:

[mark-t]

That's like saying that MacDonalds has a "monopoly" on Big Macs.

Re:

[NoMoreACs]

That's like saying that MacDonalds has a "monopoly" on Big Macs.

Exactly!

Re:

[mark-t]

My point is that the iPhone does not have a monopoly in the mobile phone market. So again, why should Apple controlling payment methods on *only* the iPhone be a problem?

Also, not everyone who might appear to take Apple's side in this issue is a shill.

Et tu, Brute?

[NoMoreACs]

Well, it's pretty damn clear that every single country on Earth is going to pile on on this bullshit.

Don't like Apple's products? Don't buy them!

Don't like Apple's Developer Terms? Don't Develop for their platform!

See? Was that so hard?

This, exactly.

[mark-t]

Also, developers are entirely free to charge more for the iOS versions of their apps or in-app purchases than they charge on Android. Given that iOS owners typically spend more on apps than Android users in the first place, I would think that this should not present a problem for developers.

Re: Et tu, Brute?

[tiananmen tank man]

That's like saying "don't like the Chinese government, move!"

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[NoMoreACs]

That's like saying "don't like the Chinese government, move!"

It is NOTHING like that.

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[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Business = Corruption

[tanmoyr]

Business means corruption in India. You cannot do business without corruption in India. Bribe, protection money, not showing the real income etc. is open secret in India. The question is who the government targets. It is not that Apple is good, it is that almost every other company is doing the same just that the government is ignoring them but decided not to ignore Apple.

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[tlhIngan]

Business means corruption in India. You cannot do business without corruption in India. Bribe, protection money, not showing the real income etc. is open secret in India. The question is who the government targets. It is not that Apple is good, it is that almost every other company is doing the same just that the government is ignoring them but decided not to ignore Apple.

In other words, Apple isn't paying the Indian government special "bonuses". Apple is paying all the requisite taxes and such, but the off