Competition Commission Denies Apple's Request To Hold Anti Trust Report

India's antitrust body, the Competition Commission of India, has rejected a request from Apple Inc. to put a hold on a investigation report that found the company violated competition laws. This decision allows the ongoing case against Apple to proceed, according to an internal order from the regulator seen and reported by Reuters.

In August, the CCI had ordered the recall of its initial investigation reports after Apple claimed that the watchdog had inadvertently disclosed commercial secrets to its competitors, including Tinder-owner Match Group. Apple argued that certain sensitive elements should have been redacted. In response, the CCI instructed involved parties to return the reports and destroy any copies, before issuing new reports.

However, in November, Apple raised concerns again, alleging that the main complainant in the investigation, the Indian non-profit Together We Fight Society, had failed to comply with the CCI's directive to destroy the original investigation reports. Apple requested that the CCI take action against TWFS for non-compliance and withhold the revised report. But, according to the CCI's internal order dated Nov. 13, the request was deemed untenable.

The ongoing investigation stems from findings that Apple exploited its dominant position in the market for app stores on its iOS operating system, adversely affecting app developers, users, and payment processors. Apple has denied any wrongdoing, stating that it holds a minor market share in India, where Android devices are far more prevalent, as per the Reuters report.

As part of the ongoing investigation, the CCI has also instructed Apple to submit its audited financial statements for fiscals 2022, 2023, and 2024. This is in line with regulatory guidelines that could lead to possible monetary penalties. Senior CCI officials are set to review the investigation findings before making a final ruling on the case, Reuters reported.