Russia's Anti-Monopoly Watchdog Says Apple Abused Dominant App Store Position

[MacRumors]

Apple is facing App Store scrutiny in Russia as the Russian Federal Anti-Monopoly Service (FAS) today said (via Interfax) that Apple abused its dominant App Store position and limited competition in the iOS app market by banning parental control apps.

The FAS began investigating Apple's App Store policies back in August 2019 after Apple cracked down on parental control apps using Mobile Device Management functionality.

Cybersecurity company Kaspersky Lab lodged an antitrust complaint with the FAS after Apple pulled the Kaspersky Safe Kids app from the App Store. Kaspersky Safe Kids had, at the time, been in the App Store for three years before Apple said that it was no longer allowed to use configuration profiles.

According to the Russian Federal Anti-Monopoly Service, since 2018, Apple has limited "instruments and opportunities for the development of parental control apps," leading to the loss of functionality in third-party apps.

The FAS also pointed out that the removal of the parental control apps coincided with the launch of the Screen Time feature, and that Apple is able to block any third-party app even if the app meets Apple's specifications.

"Apple occupies a dominant position with a 100% share of the market for mobile apps based on the iOS operating system because it is only legally possible to install such apps from the App Store," said the FAS.

The FAS plans to order Apple to address the regulatory violations. In response, Apple said that it respects the FAS but disagrees with the decision and will appeal the ruling.

Apple is also facing an antitrust investigation in the United States, with Apple CEO Tim Cook recently testifying in front of the U.S. House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee, where he was grilled on Apple's App Store policies.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: Russia's Anti-Monopoly Watchdog Says Apple Abused Dominant App Store Position

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Apple is in so much trouble!!!

 

[whyamihere]

Apple occupies a dominant position with a 100% share of the market for mobile apps based on the iOS operating system

Yep, and Walmart has a 100% share of the market for items sold in Walmart. Let's get 'em!

 

[Cosmosent]

The Public Antitrust Hearing in the States a week OR so ago was a Joke !

99% political, & ONLY 1% covering the important topics !

"Public Hearings" do NOT work here in the States !

They used to decades ago, but NOT anymore !!

Apple & Google should both be ruled by an App Store "Tsar" !

 

[The Phazer]

It took a long time, but the wall is crumbling now.

Apple were complacent too long, and now the App Store model is going to be taken off them, rather than changing course earlier and suffering less.

Apple might shrug off one territory, but this, plus US action, plus EU action? Too much.

 

[Trik]

Someone should evaluate Putin's monopoly on being the President of Russia...

 

[Cosmosent]

Yep, and Walmart has a 100% share of the market for items sold in Walmart. Let's get 'em!

Apple's iOS App Store has NO competition !

Walmart has LOTS of competition !!

At a MIN, at least here in the States, the U.S. Gov't should appoint an App Store "Tsar" who has oversight of a 2nd App Store, where Users can safely download apps.

Select apps that are approved by Apple + select others that pass a rigorous hands-on test !

ALL apps in this 2nd App Store must adhere to the primary principal of "Collects NO User Data" !

If found violating that primary principal, Banned for Life !

And, App Devs must pay $40 for each app submittal ! ... to cover testing costs !

That will ALSO cut down on the number of crap apps !
[automerge]1597083599[/automerge]

Someone should evaluate Putin's monopoly on being the President of Russia...

Good luck with that !

 

[im2fast4u]

Am I the only one seeing lot of anti-Apple sentiment recently?

 

[Art Mark]

Yeah... Russia would seem to know all about monopolies. Since their entire judicial system is a farce and one party/one man rule is the name of the game there. Consumers who buy at Walmart also have to buy what Walmart offers. Is that the same kind of monopoly? There's this giant selling phone platform (largest in the world I hear) called Android and you, like most people in the world, can buy from there just as a Walmart shopper can shop at Food Co. if you are unhappy with what Walmart offers.

 

[Geodextro]

Yep, and Walmart has a 100% share of the market for items sold in Walmart. Let's get 'em!

When you decide to shop at Walmart they don’t prevent you from from shopping elsewhere though, Apple does (no open Api for side loading or other app stores... unlike every other OS).

This wouldn’t be a problem if they were some small company, it is a problem though because they own not only the platform but the ACCESS to a huge chunk of people.

 

[PieTunes]

“Russia” and “anti monopoly” in the same sentence? That’s rich.

 

[Agit21]

The App store is going down and I say hallelujah!

 

[The Phazer]

Am I the only one seeing lot of anti-Apple sentiment recently?

Apple have been annoying a lot of people for a long time, but were effectively running a protection racket with the app store that promised to retaliate against the businesses of anyone who spoke out.

But there's too many people for that to work any more.

 

[Biu_miu]

I don't get this, hiow people don't understand this- absolutely no Russian government service functions for the purpose mentioned in it's title. Not saying Apple didn't nothing wrong, but these Russian government managed services tend to find "problems" with products and services from countries Russia, coincidentally, have some disagreements- basically it is used just as a political tool. Everything was fine, Russians eating Polish apples for years...Russia have a problem with Poland- and coincidentally government institution finds harmful chemicals in these apples and forbids import. Russians having a holidays in Turkey- all fine. Some political disagreements- government agency declares, it is too dangerous to go there. No tourists allowed in Turkey from Russia, everybody have to go to Crimea.
So, is Apple the good guy? No.
Is it strange, that, now, after 10 years of App Store operating, somebody, out of nowhere, in RUSSIA notices, that App store doesn't allow every app submitted to be able to get to App Store. Yes.

 

[DummyFool]

Am I the only one seeing lot of anti-Apple sentiment recently?

I don't think it's anti-Apple, senate was a lot tougher on Google, Amazon and Facebook in recent hearing. The anti-competitive laws looks alike in lots of countries. Lots of peoples don't get that even if it's Apple store and platform they have to let others compete on it with them. Does not matter if they don't like it and it's not up for debate. It's the law in most places on the globe.

 

[jwestveer]

And you are really worried about what Russia thinks?

 

[Kkspire]

Am I the only one seeing lot of anti-Apple sentiment recently?

You’re on a website designed solely to rumor and scrutinize one company. It’s been that way for a decade. Surely governments are against apple right now. Careful, the agenda might be to circumvent your protections.

 

[mariusignorello]

Am I the only one seeing lot of anti-Apple sentiment recently?

Hating on the most influential and powerful company? Groundbreaking.

But seriously, it’s amazing what jealousy will get people to say and do. They want to decide how Apple spends its money and how much they “deserve”, how much products should cost, which political causes Apple should support (and you can bet they’ll all be left of center), and so on.

Needless to say, most if not all of them have not run large companies (and neither have I).

 

[sdreamer07]

When you decide to shop at Walmart they don’t prevent you from from shopping elsewhere though, Apple does (no open Api for side loading or other app stores... unlike every other OS).

This wouldn’t be a problem if they were some small company, it is a problem though because they own not only the platform but the ACCESS to a huge chunk of people.

Apple stops you from going to Android? That's new to me. Apple owns the platform, so they own what rules happen on the platform. They are not the only platform. Don't like how things work within the platform, including the Appstore, go to the majority holder, Android.

 

[mariusignorello]

The App store is going down and I say hallelujah!

How exactly is this is good thing?

Yet another example on MR of hoping Apple burns when it will directly affect you.

 

[Analog Kid]

"Apple occupies a dominant position with a 100% share of the market for mobile apps based on the iOS operating system because it is only legally possible to install such apps from the App Store," said the FAS.

I feel like the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service could benefit from a description of what a monopoly is...

 

[whyamihere]

When you decide to shop at Walmart they don’t prevent you from from shopping elsewhere though, Apple does

Apple's iOS App Store has NO competition !

Walmart has LOTS of competition !!

False.

If I want an Apple-created App, I have to go to Apple's store. Just like if I want a Great Value product, I have to go to Walmart.

If I want a bag of Doritos, I can go to Walmart. Or I can go to Target. I have choices.

If I want Spotify, I can go to Apple's store. Or I can go to Android. I have choices.

Apple isn't preventing me from shopping elsewhere for apps they don't create.

 

[Analog Kid]

where Users can safely download apps.

Confirmation that you’re aware there is more than one way to end a sentence...

 

[Solomani]

Am I the only one seeing lot of anti-Apple sentiment recently?

Apple is on a financial high, the stock price in incredible record territory. Yes, of course everyone wants to take a bite of Apple’s billions.

 

[alexandr]

Apple stops you from going to Android? That's new to me. Apple owns the platform, so they own what rules happen on the platform. They are not the only platform. Don't like how things work within the platform, including the Appstore, go to the majority holder, Android.

just another case of people who want to use apple's platform, but feel it is their right to make demands as to how it should work and what should be included in it.