By 
Russia’s antitrust agency has formally reached out to Apple, expressing concerns regarding the restricted access Russian users have to comprehensive banking and payment services on Apple devices.
As of now, Apple has not responded to inquiries regarding this matter outside of U.S. business hours.
Over the past two years, Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) has imposed fines totaling approximately $26 million on Apple. These fines relate to what the FAS perceives as Apple’s misuse of its dominant position, particularly concerning the mobile apps market and in-app payments.
Previously, Apple has expressed disagreement with FAS rulings, particularly regarding the distribution of apps through its iOS operating system, asserting that it did not provide undue advantage to its own products.
The FAS has highlighted that most Russian banks have been excluded from the App Store, and Apple’s policy restricts users from installing apps from sources other than the App Store. Consequently, this impedes the functionality of Russian banks and contactless payment services.
In a statement, the FAS remarked, “The company’s actions raise concerns of potential violations of antimonopoly legislation.” Consequently, the agency has formally requested Apple to provide a detailed and substantiated explanation of its position on this issue.
Recently, Apple made significant concessions in Europe to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) of the European Union. These changes grant developers the freedom to distribute their apps directly to consumers, aiming to address concerns surrounding the dominance of the App Store on Apple devices.
Comments