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India Sets May 21 Hearing in Apple App Store Antitrust Case

The case tests India’s new power to base antitrust fines on global revenue.

Overview

  • India’s antitrust regulator set a final hearing for May 21 in its probe of Apple’s App Store payment rules and said penalty proceedings will speed up.
  • The Competition Commission of India says Apple has withheld requested financial data since October 2024 and set the date after granting an extra two weeks to respond.
  • Apple denies abusing market power and is seeking to block enforcement, while continuing to withhold the figures the regulator sought.
  • Under a 2024 law, any penalty can be calculated on up to 10% of a company’s global revenue, which coverage estimates at about $38 billion for Apple, though fines rarely reach that cap.
  • The dispute began in 2021 when Indian developers and Match Group said Apple forces in‑app purchases through its system with commissions up to 30%, a policy they argue cuts into their earnings.