Apple’s next antitrust fight will take place in India, under a DMA-like law

It looks like Apple’s next antitrust battle will take place in India, where the company is preparing its own competition law, which is closely modeled on Europe’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). Last week we learned that Japan is also close to implementing its own version of DMA.

This DMA required Apple to allow the use of third-party app stores, as well as provide iPhone users with a proactive choice of web browser…

Third-party app store requirements

The European DMA imposed a series of changes on companies found to be using their market dominance in an anti-competitive manner. One of the companies affected by this situation was Apple, which issued a ruling stating that its monopoly on the sale of iPhone applications was unlawful.

The company was required to allow third-party app stores to sell iPhone apps and has so far responded in what is being described as “malicious compliance” and is under investigation for possible non-compliance.

Apple faces similar regulations in many countries around the world, with Japan being the latest example.

Apple is also facing a Department of Justice lawsuit in the US over much of the same issue, and is also facing a judge who appears dissatisfied with the company’s response to the Epic Games ruling.

Apple’s next antitrust battle in India

Reuters reports that India is now planning to introduce its own DMA-style law and that Apple is one of a number of tech giants actively lobbying against it.

India’s “Digital Competition Act” builds on the EU’s landmark Digital Markets Act of 2022. (…) proposes banning companies from using non-public data of their users and promoting their own services over competitors, as well as lifting restrictions on downloading third-party applications (…)

According to the letter, a US lobby group representing tech giants Google, Amazon and Apple has asked India to rethink the law, arguing that regulations prohibiting the use of data and preferential treatment of partners could raise user costs.

India’s government says the new law is needed because a few tech giants have “tremendous control” over the market.

Like the DMA, the Digital Competition Act would allow Apple to be fined up to 10% of its global turnover for any breach of the law.

The next stage will be for the government to review responses from Apple and other companies to decide whether any changes are needed before the bill goes to parliament for approval.

Photo by Paras Kapoor on Unsplash