It looks like the next Apple antitrust battle will take place in India, as the country prepares its own competition law, which is closely modelled on Europe’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). We learned last week that Japan is also close to implementing its own version of the DMA.

It’s the DMA which has required Apple to permit third-party App Stores, as well as give iPhone users a proactive choice of web browser …

Third-party app stores requirement

Europe’s DMA imposed a number of changes on companies who were deemed to be using their market dominance in an anti-competitive manner. Apple was one of the companies affected, with a ruling that its monopoly on the sale of iPhone apps was unlawful.

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

Apple is facing similar legislation in a number of countries around the world, with Japan the latest example.

Apple is also fighting a DOJ lawsuit in the US, covering much of the same ground – as well as facing a judge who appears extremely unimpressed with the company’s response to her ruling in the Epic Games case.

Next Apple antitrust battle in India

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

India’s “Digital Competition Bill” is on the lines of EU’s landmark Digital Markets Act 2022. It […] proposes to prohibit companies from exploiting non-public data of its users and promoting their own services over rivals, and also abolish restrictions on downloading of third-party apps […]

A U.S. lobby group representing tech giants Google, Amazon and Apple has asked India to rethink [the] law, arguing regulations against data use and preferential treatment of partners could raise user costs, a letter shows.

The Indian government says that the law is needed because a few tech giants have “immense control” over the market.

As with the DMA, the Digital Competition Bill 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 others to decide whether any changes are needed before the bill is passed to parliament for approval.

Photo by Paras Kapoor on Unsplash