Apple's Antitrust Counter-Challenge
Apple Accuses Indian Regulator of Copying Rival Claims in App Store Antitrust Case
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Key Points
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Rivals named in the filings include Match Group (Tinder's parent), PhonePe and Paytm, with Apple arguing that these complaints were copied into the case rather than the CCI conducting its own inquiry.
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Apple contends that the DG's submission largely parrots rival statements and fails to independently verify them, effectively relying on copied claims rather than its own analysis.
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In the June 25 submission, Apple drew up tables to argue that the CCI had not conducted its own analysis and had relied on external allegations rather than independent review.
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Senior officials from the CCI are scheduled to hold a closed-door hearing with all parties on July 21 as the dispute over remedies and findings continues.
Apple has accused India's antitrust regulator of running a "copy-paste" investigation — and is demanding the findings be thrown out entirely. In a 400-plus page submission filed June 25, Apple told the Competition Commission of India (CCI) that its investigators never did their own analysis, instead lifting claims word-for-word from rivals like Match Group, PhonePe, and Paytm, according to Reuters.
The dispute has been building since 2021, but it now threatens Apple with a penalty that could reach $38 billion under India's 2024 rules, which tie fines to a company's global revenue rather than just local sales. A closed-door hearing with all parties is scheduled for July 21.
Apple Says CCI Copied Rivals Instead of Investigating
Apple's June 25 filing included comparison tables designed to show that the CCI's Director General (DG) used the exact phrasing from rival filings — without checking if the claims were true. "The DG made no effort whatsoever to independently verify or critically assess these statements, often parroting them verbatim," Apple said, as reported by NDTV Profit.
Apple also says the CCI "blindly replicated" a chart showing global mobile spending data instead of analyzing India's specific market. The company further argues the CCI leaned too heavily on European Union rulings — even though Android holds nearly 90% of India's smartphone market, making those comparisons a poor fit, NDTV Profit reported.
Apple Claims It Is Too Small to Break Competition Law
A central pillar of Apple's defense is its market size. The company calls itself a "minuscule player" with less than 6% of India's smartphone market. Under India's Competition Act, a company must hold a dominant position before it can be found guilty of abusing that position. Apple argues it simply does not qualify, according to Reuters.
But analysts push back on that framing. Counterpoint Research data shows Apple's share has grown to roughly 9% in 2026, up from about 2% five years ago. More importantly, Apple dominates the premium segment — phones priced above roughly ₹45,000 — meaning its revenue share is far larger than its unit share, NDTV Profit noted.
A Five-Year Case With Billions Now on the Line
The probe started in December 2021 after a non-profit called Together We Fight Society complained that Apple's 30% App Store commission harmed small developers. The CCI's investigative arm finished a 142-page confidential report in July 2024, concluding that Apple's in-app payment system gave it an unfair advantage. The case hit a snag in August 2024 when Apple complained that its trade secrets were improperly shared with rivals, forcing the CCI to recall its own report, according to ET Now News.
Stakes surged after India's 2024 update to its Competition Act. The new rules let regulators base fines on a company's total global revenue. For Apple, which holds $161.5 billion in cash, a 10% penalty on global turnover would still amount to roughly $38 billion — a figure Apple has called "existential." After months of resistance, Apple agreed in June 2026 to hand over its India-specific financial data needed to calculate any fine, ET Now News reported.
What Happens If India Forces Apple to Open Its App Store
If the CCI upholds its findings, Apple could be forced to allow third-party app stores or alternative payment systems in India — similar to changes it was required to make in the European Union under the Digital Markets Act. Apple warns that any "forced alterations" would "create regulatory uncertainty and could deter investments in India's digital economy," a direct reference to its fast-growing iPhone manufacturing operations in the country, according to Reuters.
Legal experts say Apple's copy-paste argument is partly a procedural tactic. If the CCI is forced to restart its analysis from scratch, that could delay a final ruling by years. If Apple loses at the CCI, the case would move to the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal and potentially the Supreme Court of India. The July 21 hearing will be the first test of whether the copy-paste allegation gains any traction, NDTV Profit reported.
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