Apple Fined $12 Million in Russia for Violating Anti-Monopoly Rules With App Store

Russia's Federal Anti-Monopoly Service (FAS) has levied a $12 million fine against Apple for alleged abuse of its dominance in the mobile applications market, reports Reuters.

app store blue banner russia
According to the FAS, Apple's distribution of apps through iOS gives its products a competitive advantage. Apple has been charged 906.3 million roubles, equivalent to $12.1 million.

The fine stems from an August ruling that said Apple abused its dominant App Store position and limited competition in the iOS app market when it began banning parental control apps back in 2019 for using configuration profiles.

Cybersecurity company Kaspersky Lab filed an antitrust complaint with the FAS after Apple removed the Kaspersky Safe Kids app from the ‌App Store‌. At the time, the app had been available for three years before it was pulled.

"Apple occupies a dominant position with a 100% share of the market for mobile apps based on the iOS operating system because it is only legally possible to install such apps from the ‌‌App Store‌‌," said the FAS in a ruling that ordered Apple to address the regulatory violations by removing rules that allow it to reject third-party apps.

Apple has said that it "respectfully" disagrees with the FAS's decision and plans to appeal it.

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Top Rated Comments

farewelwilliams Avatar
53 months ago
"Apple occupies a dominant position with a 100% share of the market for mobile apps based on the iOS operating system"

Cool, let me try this.

"Sony occupies a dominant position with a 100% share of the market for console apps based on the Playstation operating system"

"Nintendo occupies a dominant position with a 100% share of the market for console apps based on the Nintendo operating system"

"Microsoft occupies a dominant position with a 100% share of the market for console apps based on the Xbox operating system"

"Youtube occupies a dominant position with 100% share of the market for videos based on the Youtube platform"

"Google occupies a dominant position with 100% share of internet search based on the Google platform"

"Alexa occupies a dominant position with 100% share of smart home skills based on the Alexa platform"

"Twitch occupies a dominant position with 100% share of live streams based on the Twitch platform"
Score: 60 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mozumder Avatar
53 months ago
Apple should fine Russia for having a monopolistic authoritarian government.
Score: 50 Votes (Like | Disagree)
McKodiak Avatar
53 months ago
Are iPhones the only mobile phones allowed in Russia? Do their prisoners (citizens) not have a choice in mobile tech?
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Toratek Avatar
53 months ago
You do realize a 12 million dollar fine to a trillion dollar company is equivalent to a fine of $1.20 to someone making 100K/year? 0.0012%.

”Hey Apple, pay us for a chocolate bar, our Oligarch is hungry”

As of this morning, APPL’s market cap is 2.26 TRILLION. With a T.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rpmurray Avatar
53 months ago
Since when has the Russian government cared what happens to the serfs? Maybe they just want a cut for the oligarchs.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
robjulo Avatar
53 months ago

Apple should fine Russia for having a monopolistic authoritarian government.
Why? Apple seems to be fine with the Chinese.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)