Apple is one of the largest tech companies in the world and one of the most popular brands. However, in recent years, Apple has been frequently accused and litigated by anti-monopoly and infringement lawsuits from various countries** and consumers, and its market position and business practices have been severely questioned and regulated.
Russia is one of the countries that recently launched an antitrust investigation against Apple and won. In 2022, Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) found that Apple had violated Russia's antitrust laws by abusing its dominant market position in the iOS app store and restricting the development and competition of third-party apps. Last year, the FAS fined Apple 1.2 billion rubles (about $17.4 million), and this year, Apple finally paid the fine, while also agreeing to provide more options and opportunities for third-party apps in the iOS app store.
The EU is also an important force in initiating antitrust lawsuits against Apple. This year, the European Commission formally accused Apple of anti-competitive behavior in its Apple Music and Apple Pay services, harming the interests and development of other **stream** and mobile payment services. This is the first time that the EU has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, and if Apple loses the lawsuit, it could face fines of up to 10% of its global revenue, which is equivalent to 27.4 billion US dollars, or about 177.3 billion yuan.
Apple's antitrust concerns are not only about its iOS app store, but also about its charging policies for app developers and consumers. Apple stipulates that all apps or services sold in the iOS App Store must go through Apple's payment system, and Apple charges a processing fee of up to 30%, which is known as the "Apple Tax". This policy has caused dissatisfaction among many app developers and consumers, who believe that Apple has overexploited their interests while also restricting their choice and freedom. For example, Apple users who use ride-hailing services will be 30% more expensive than Android users.
Apple's antitrust issues also involve the Chinese market, which is one of Apple's largest markets and the main one in which Apple earns nearly 300 billion a year. However, the rights and interests of consumers and related enterprises in China have not been effectively protected and safeguarded. Apple has implemented similar anti-competitive practices and charging policies in the Chinese market, restricting the development and competition of local apps and services in China, while also harming the rights and interests of Chinese consumers. China's society should conduct stricter supervision and investigation of Apple's market position and business practices, protect China's national interests and people's interests, and maintain China's market order and fair competition.