FAS RUSSIA: APPLE NEEDS TO PRESENT POSITION ON ACCESS OF RUSSIAN PAYMENT SYSTEMS TO CONTACTLESS PAYMENTS IN IOS

The FAS Russia sent a corresponding letter to the company

The FAS Russia found that Russian users of iOS devices (including those purchased during their official sales in Russia) are currently unable to use their functionality to obtain banking services and make payments.

Thus, Apple removed from the App Store and does not allow mobile applications of most Russian banks. The company also does not allow installing apps on your devices that are not from the App Store. At the same time, the Apple Pay system does not allow using (linking) Russian bankcards of such banks. However, contactless payment technology NFC in iOS is available only for the Apple Pay system. This makes it impossible to use contactless payment systems Mir Pay, Cberpay, Tinkoff Pay, etc. on Apple devices.

Besides, according to Apple's press release of January 25, 2024, the company will make a number of changes to iOS, Safari and the App Store for users of its devices in the European Union. The changes will allow installing alternative app stores, uploading apps to the store, and will also open access to NFC for other contactless payment systems. In this regard, the FAS Russia concluded that Apple has the technical ability to make relevant changes on equal terms for Russian developers as well.

According to the FAS Russia, the company's actions contain signs of violation of antimonopoly legislation*. Apple creates preferential conditions for its own applications and applications of third-party developers registered outside Russia, as well as the Apple Pay payment system in comparison with applications of Russian developers and Russian payment systems.

The FAS Russia sent a letter to the company on the need to submit a detailed motivated position on this issue to the Service.

It should be reminded that signs of abuse of a dominant position are grounds for taking antimonopoly response measures.

*Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Article 10 of the Law on Protection of Competition