Apple’s India antitrust risk
- Reports say Apple could face a potential US$38 billion antitrust fine in India linked to App Store practices. - The figure appearing in industry coverage highlights how big the regulatory exposure could become for Apple locally. - The scrutiny landed alongside commentary that Apple’s incoming CEO will inherit App Store legal battles; the report ran today. (digitimes.com)
Apple could face a penalty of as much as $38 billion in India as the country’s antitrust regulator moves toward a final hearing over App Store rules. (digitimes.com) India’s Competition Commission set May 21, 2026, for a final hearing after Apple did not provide financial data the regulator said it needed to calculate penalties. Reuters reported the order was dated April 8 and said the agency found Apple abused its dominant position in the iPhone apps market. (reuters.com) The $38 billion figure comes from Apple’s own filing in the Delhi High Court, where it argued that India’s penalty framework based on global turnover could produce an outsized fine. Businessworld reported Apple used that number to challenge the law’s constitutionality, while the regulator treated it as a possible outcome under the current rules. (businessworld.in) The case centers on how the App Store works on iPhones: developers distribute apps through Apple’s store, and many digital purchases must use Apple’s in-app payment system. India’s investigation said those rules gave Apple control over how app makers reach iPhone users and how they get paid. (reuters.com) That investigation surfaced in July 2024, when a confidential Competition Commission report reviewed by Reuters said Apple engaged in “abusive conduct and practices” in the market for app stores on its iOS operating system. The report said Apple was dominant in that narrower market even though iPhones account for a small share of India’s broader smartphone market. (reuters.com) Apple has denied wrongdoing and argued it is a small player in India, where phones using Google’s Android account for most smartphones. In its response to the 2024 findings, Apple said its market share in India was about 3.5%. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) The complaint has also drawn in app companies that sell subscriptions and digital services. In October 2025, Match Group, the owner of Tinder, told India’s regulator that Apple’s fee of up to 30% would limit its growth in the country and urged strong action. (economictimes.indiatimes.com) India’s case lands as Apple is fighting App Store rules in other jurisdictions, including Europe and the United States. A ruling or settlement in New Delhi would add another major market to the list of places pressing Apple to change how its app marketplace operates. (digitimes.com)
