FAS RUSSIA ISSUED A WARNING TO APPLE

30-08-2021 | 14:30

The company prohibits informing clients about the alternative payment methods in the App Store applications

The FAS Russia received complaints from users of iOS devices and application developers.
 
They note that in some cases it is cheaper to buy a product, for example, an e-book, on the seller's website, and then start reading it in the application on an iPhone or iPad by logging in under your account. This is due to the fact that Apple provides a commission from 15% to 30% on each payment in the App Store. However device users cannot be informed about the possibility of purchases outside the App Store.
 
Thus, the App Store Review Guidelines - 3.1, which developers of iOS applications have to follow, prohibits informing in any form application users about the availability of an alternative method of paying for goods. Including, if the application contains a link to the developer's / service's website or a registration form with a link to the website in a browser.
 
Apple does not allow applications with such characteristics in the App Store, requiring developers to remove links or change the functionality of the application so that the registration form does not lead to external sites.

By these actions, Apple restricts developers in independent behavior, which negatively affects competition and may lead to an increase in prices for developers' products.

The FAS Russia issued a warning to Apple to eliminate the signs of violation of antimonopoly legislation. The company has to execute it no later than September 30, 2021.

For reference:

Paragraph 3 of the Part 1 of the Article 10 of the Law on Protection of Competition prohibits actions (inactions) of dominant economic entity, which result or can result in the prevention, restriction, elimination of competition and (or) infringement of interests of other persons (economic entities) in business activities or of indefinite range of consumers, including the imposition of the counterparty the terms of the contract, unprofitable for him or not related to the subject of agreement (economically or technologically unjustified and (or) directly not provided by Federal laws, normative legal acts of the President of the Russian Federation, normative legal acts of the Government of the Russian Federation, normative legal acts of the authorized Federal Executive authorities or judicial acts, requirements on transfer of financial funds, other property, including property rights, as well as consent to conclude a contract subject to provisions in respect of the product, in which the counterparty is not interested, and other requirements).

 



Site Map

News & Events Press Releases Image Library About FAS Russia What We Do Institutional Memory Mission, Goals, Values Priority Setting Stakeholders Engagement Center for Education and Methodics Our History Our Structure Powers of Head and Deputy Heads Our Ratings Using our website International Cooperation Treaties & Agreements OECD Competition Committee OECD meetings 2013 OECD meetings 2014 OECD meetings 2015 OECD meetings 2016 OECD meetings 2017 OECD meetings 2018 OECD meetings 2019 OECD meetings 2020 OECD meetings 2021 FAS Annual Reports OECD-GVH RCC RCC Newsletter Projects ICAP Council on Advertising Headquarters for Joint Investigations UNCTAD 15th session IGE UNCTAD 16th session IGE UNCTAD 17th session IGE UNCTAD 18th session IGE UNCTAD 8th UN Conference on Competition 19th session IGE UNCTAD 20th session IGE UNCTAD 21th session IGE UNCTAD EEU Model Law on Competition ICN BRICS BRICS Conferences Documents BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre BRICS Working Groups for the Research of Competition Issues in Socially Important markets Working Group for the Research of Competition Issues in the Pharmaceutical Markets Working Group for the Research of Competition Issues in the Food Value Chains Working Group for the Research of Competition Issues in the Automobile Markets Working Group for the Research of Competition Issues in the Digital Markets BRICS Coordination Committee on antimonopoly policy EU APEC Competition Policy and Law Group Annual meetings Projects ERRA Full Members Organizational Structure Document Library Legislation Reports & Analytics Cases & decisions COVID-19 Contacts Give feedback Contact us Links Authorities Worldwide