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The Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF) has officially become a party to the ongoing case against Apple before the Competition Commission of India (CCI) over the big tech firm’s alleged abuse of market power in the apps market. The complaint was originally filed by Jaipur-based non-profit Together We Fight Society, arguing that Apple’s imposition of a high in-app fee and other restrictions hurts competition by raising costs for app developers and customers while acting as a barrier to market entry.
“Apple’s app store practices have been restrictive and, at times, even violative of the rights of app owners to conduct their business. They are facing scrutiny from antitrust regulators in the United States, Europe, Japan, Australia and the Netherlands. In December 2021, the Dutch anti-trust regulator found Apple’s App Store policies to be in violation of its competition laws and has since levied a series of penalties against the company over non-compliance with its order,” ADIF said in a press statement.
“Both the gatekeepers of the app economy — Apple and Google — have been known to rig the game in their favour by abusing their dominant position. There is an urgent need to reign them in so that the interests of the scores of small players that make up the internet and app economy are protected,” said Sijo Kuruvilla George, Executive Director of ADIF.
Anupam Mittal, founder and CEO of Shaadi.com, said, “For the betterment and continued growth of the Indian start-up ecosystem, it’s crucial that the internet, and specifically the app economy, is made fair, transparent and open. If the anti-competitive and monopolistic practices along with the gatekeeper policies of big tech firms are not kept in check, there is bound to be a detrimental impact on Indian entrepreneurs and businesses and ultimately, the sovereignty of the country.”
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