Apple Faces Lawsuits Around the World
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Turkey Just Filed a Potential Antitrust Case Against Apple , But It's Far From the Only One. Here's Where Else Apple Is Running into Government Regulators, and Why.
Perhaps the most serious antitrust case against Apple is one brought in its own backyard — the Justice Department filed the case. It's an unusual case in that Apple is being accused of something it doesn't do, but the Justice Department is still taking on one of America's greatest success stories.
Specifically, the case is brought by the Justice Department and the attorneys general of 16 states plus the District of Columbia. It alleges that Apple has an illegal monopoly on smartphones, despite the iPhone having only 52% of the U.S. market share.
Apple is under investigation, in court, or on appeal all over the world. Here are the latest updates.
Australia
It’s not true that lawsuits never end, they just feel like they don’t. Still, when the Supreme Court refused to hear Epic Games’ appeal of its case against Apple, that was the end of it.
Except, of course, that the appeals are ongoing — and Epic Games is trying to make the same arguments in Australia. There, it’s taking on both Apple and Google in a trial expected to last several months.
This concerns Apple's alleged monopoly control over its own App Store, which Epic Games claims unfairly prevents it from telling customers about alternative payment systems.
There is also a separate class action lawsuit filed against Apple's App Store by developers and users in Australia.
European Union
The EU's investigations into Apple may have been their most effective to date, as the company was forced by law to open App Store for competitors. She was also ordered to stop anti-steering — when it prevents developers from communicating alternatives to customers.
Then the European Union also forced Apple to open up NFC technology in its iPhones to allow rival firms to use it again.
Countries want Apple to allow competitors to use its iPhone NFC APIs
With all this in mind, and the Digital Markets Act fully passed, we can expect the EU to move on to other goals. He has. In March 2024, the company fined Apple Music $2 billion for what it claimed was consumer harm by somehow preventing its much more successful competitor Spotify from reaching customers.
Apple is in the process of filing a lawsuit with the EU over this fine. Don't expect this issue to be resolved neatly, since the fine is related to complaints that Spotify started making in 2019 and continues to make.
India
India may be enjoying the fact that Apple and its suppliers are significantly expanding their manufacturing presence in the country, but it is not prevented the Competition Commission of India (CCI) from initiating an investigation. The investigation covers both Apple and Google, as well as alleged unfair business practices.
In Apple's case, the country is also investigating anti-competitive behavior regarding its App Store.
Japan
In 2023, Japan's Fair Trade Commission nearly said Apple should allow third-party app stores. . It didn't go that far, but a years-long investigation into Apple and Google found that they were abusing their “superior bargaining position.”
It specifically states that the two firms pose a “problem under the AMA,” Japan's Anti-Monopoly Law. The wording of its recommendations is surprisingly careful to avoid explicitly saying that third-party stores should be allowed, but the details around it that competitors should have equal rights imply just that.
Portugal
This process began in 2022, and again Apple and Google are accused of being “anti-competitive and excessive.” A Portuguese law professor says a 30% cut in apps and in-app purchases is anti-competitive.
He filed a class action lawsuit in which he is trying to protect up to 2.9 million App Store users and 3.6 million Google Play Store users.
Russia
Given that regions like the European Union could theoretically fine Apple up to 10% of its global revenue — and fined the company $2 billion because of Apple Music — It's easy to think that Russia isn't even trying. In 2024, Apple paid Russian authorities $13.7 million for alleged anti-regulatory actions in the App Store.
In 2022, the company paid $12.12 million in fines on a similar charge of abusing its dominant position in the App Store market. AppleInsider noted at the time that this equates to one hour of Apple's profit.
Also in 2022, Apple Pay stopped working in Russia. This happened due to US sanctions due to the war with Ukraine, but Russian users believed that it was Apple's fault and therefore sued the company.
Türkiye
Latest country to announce antitrust action against Apple, as of June 6, 2024. Türkiye is currently specifically investigating the company's refusal to allow alternative payment systems on the App Store.
According to Reuters, the case is still under investigation and is being carried out simultaneously with a general review of smartphones carried out by the country's Competition Council.
Great Britain
The UK is holding general elections, which, according to British law, were called earlier than expected. One consequence of this is that the last session of Parliament will have to be adjourned early, jeopardizing many of the bills that were due to be debated.
UK Parliament
But after literally years during which the country created a high-tech watchdog but gave it no power or authority over by whom, the UK rushed to pass a bill that affects Apple.
This is actually a copy of already passed EU laws, and until it is put into practice, it will be a little vague. But its purpose is to criticize all the same antitrust charges that other countries have made and for which other countries have received hefty fines.
What will happen next
In addition to the certainty that other things will follow, usually All this will happen in the short term is that various cases will continue to be heard in their local jurisdiction. Apple will protest all of this, and then, when it fails to convince the judges, it will appeal the decisions.
Although it is unfair to say that Apple always loses. And Epic lost most of its Fortnite battle with Apple.
And in May 2024, China decided that everything was in order with its commission in the App Store. Naturally, this decision of the Supreme People's Court of China is being appealed.
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