The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has rejected Apple’s request to delay an investigation report that concluded the tech giant violated competition laws, according to an internal directive obtained by Reuters.
In August, the CCI had ordered a retraction of previous investigation reports at Apple’s behest. The company claimed the regulatory body had improperly revealed confidential business information to competitors, including the owner of Tinder, Match. Apple argued that sensitive details should have been redacted.
The CCI instructed involved parties to return the original reports and destroy any remaining copies, subsequently issuing revised documents.
According to the internal CCI order, Apple accused the main complainant, the Indian non-profit Together We Fight Society (TWFS), of failing to comply with the directive to ensure that the original reports were properly disposed of.
Apple requested that the CCI take action against TWFS for this alleged non-compliance and sought to suspend the revised report, as indicated in the CCI order dated November 13.
However, the CCI deemed Apple’s request to pause the investigation report as lacking merit, according to the order.
Apple has not provided a response to inquiries from Reuters.
The CCI did not comment outside of regular office hours on Sunday, and attempts to reach representatives of TWFS were unsuccessful.
The investigation by the CCI found that Apple had taken advantage of its significant market position within the iOS app store ecosystem, negatively impacting app developers, users, and other payment processors.
Apple has maintained its stance of innocence, asserting that it occupies a minor position in the Indian market, which is predominantly led by devices running Google’s Android system.
Furthermore, the CCI’s internal order revealed that Apple has been required to submit its audited financial statements for the fiscal years 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24. This measure aims to assess potential monetary penalties stemming from the ongoing case.
CCI officials will ultimately review the investigation report and deliver a conclusive judgment on the matter.
© Thomson Reuters 2024
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