India's Competition Commission of India (CCI) has set a final hearing for May 21 in its antitrust case against Apple, after the company failed to submit required financial data. The regulator accuses Apple of abusing its App Store dominance by forcing developers to use its in-app payment system. Apple argues that Android holds greater market share in India and warns of potential fines up to $38 billion.
The Competition Commission of India notified Apple of the upcoming hearing, as first reported by Reuters. The antitrust probe began in October 2024, focusing on Apple's practices with the App Store. The CCI stated that Apple had multiple chances to provide financial information and its views on the investigation but has not complied. This data is needed to calculate any penalty amount. Apple has been given two more weeks to submit responses before the May 21 date. The case centers on allegations that Apple exploits its position by requiring developers to route in-app purchases through its proprietary system. Apple counters that Android dominates the Indian smartphone market, while iPhones captured nine percent share in 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. Apple highlighted the risk of fines reaching $38 billion and referenced a separate challenge to India's antitrust penalty framework. This marks another clash between Apple and Indian authorities, following a prior dispute over pre-installing the state-owned Sanchar Saathi app, which the government later dropped. The CCI shows less flexibility in this matter, pushing forward with the final proceedings.
