The Competition Commission of India have had enough of Apple’s stalling. After more than a year of delays, the antitrust watchdog has issued a final warning to the iPhone maker: respond by next week or we’re moving forward without you.The stern message came in a confidential December 31 order that accused Apple of undermining the investigation through “repeated extensions,” according to Reuters. What started as a routine request for objections in October 2024 has turned into a bureaucratic standoff, with Apple refusing to engage while it fights the rules in court.At stake is a potential $38 billion fine—one of the heftiest corporate penalties ever contemplated. The amount stems from the 2024 rule change allowing regulators to base fines on a company’s global revenue rather than just local earnings.
Apple calls the math unconstitutional
Apple isn’t taking this lying down. The company filed a 545-page constitutional challenge in November, arguing that the new penalty framework is “manifestly arbitrary” and “grossly disproportionate.” To illustrate the absurdity, Apple compared it to penalizing a toy seller’s entire business for violations in just one product line.The underlying case dates to 2022, when Match Group and Indian startups complained that Apple abused its App Store dominance. Investigators found Apple forces developers to use its payment system, charges up to 30% commissions, and blocks apps from even mentioning cheaper alternatives outside the App Store.
Court hearing scheduled for late January
Apple quietly asked the CCI to freeze everything until the court settles the penalty dispute. The regulator said no. Now both sides are digging in—Apple plans to stay silent until Delhi High Court hears arguments on January 27.Legal experts say Apple faces long odds. The amended law explicitly permits global turnover calculations, making it tough to overturn what’s already settled legislative policy. Meanwhile, the CCI’s patience has clearly run out, with the watchdog warning that “such indulgence cannot be continued indefinitely.”
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