CCI Nears Closing Apple Probe, Mulls Trimming Commission Charges

Competition watchdog CCI is about to close its probe against Apple’s app store and billing policies. 

According to an ET report, CCI’s probe against Apple is near completion and the findings of the investigation are similar to what the regulator found in its probe against tech colossal Google.

It is anticipated that the iPhone maker could be asked to trim down its commission charges from developers and offer third-party billing options. 

“We have been informed that a full investigation is in place in the Apple matter. The findings of the probe are very much in line with what the CCI said on the Google Play billing issue. The only reason why it has not been released yet is because of the absence of a sitting chairperson for the CCI,” a source said to the publication.

Notably, the CCI has been working without a full-time chairperson for months now. Its former chairperson Ashok Kumar Gupta retired on October 25, 2022.  

The competition regulator will submit its report (about Apple’s probe) to its board, which will further take action on the matter.

CCI began scrutinising Apple’s policies in December 2021 after an NGO, Together We Fight Society complained about Apple’s high commission charges and lack of third-party payment options.

Following this, Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF) and US-based Match Group also filed similar cases against the iPhone maker last year. Their complaints later became inclusive of CCI’s probe. 

These developments happen at a time when Apple is shifting its manufacturing hub from China to India. Two days back, its contract manufacturer Salcomp reportedly looked to increase its employee base in India by 2X to 25,000 by 2026 in a bid to ramp up operations in the nation.

During the Q1 2023 results, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook showed his confidence in the Indian market, which showcased a record high sales in this quarter. 

An all-time high iPhone revenue, double-digit growth in the installed base of active iPhones, and continued adoption of Apple services for businesses are some of the areas where Apple witnessed massive sales growth in India.

Also, in December last year, Apple exported $1 Bn (INR 8,100 Cr) worth smartphones from India. While, in the previous month, it surpassed Samsung thus, becoming a leading smartphone exporter in India.