The Delhi High Court has refused to put India's antitrust case against Apple on hold, directing the company to cooperate fully with investigators probing its App Store practices. The court's order, uploaded on May 15, instructed Apple to 'fully cooperate' with the Competition Commission of India (CCI). Apple had sought a complete pause on proceedings while it separately challenges India's penalty calculation law in the same court, but that request was denied.
Narrow Procedural Concession
The court allowed Apple to bring certain documents on record, a narrow procedural concession that falls short of the full stay it was seeking. The CCI's lawyer told the bench that a multinational company had been 'stalling a regulator's hand in 2026' in a case open since 2021.
Background of the Case
The case originates from a December 2021 complaint filed by a Jaipur-based non-profit, Together We Fight Society. Match Group, the parent company of Tinder and Hinge, and the Alliance of Digital India Foundation later joined the complaint. At the heart of the matter is Apple's requirement that developers use its in-app purchase system for digital content, paying commissions of up to 30%, with no alternative payment routes permitted.
CCI investigators concluded their probe in July 2024, finding that Apple had abused its dominant position. The App Store, they determined, functions as an unavoidable gatekeeper—developers have no other way to reach iPhone users in India. Similar conclusions have been reached in other jurisdictions. London's Competition Appeal Tribunal found in October 2025 that Apple had overcharged developers for five years in a case valued at £1.5 billion. In the US, Apple was found in contempt for defying a court order stemming from its battle with Epic Games and has been twice denied a pause on rulings that bar it from charging commissions on external purchases. Epic, for its part, relisted Fortnite on the App Store globally last week, nearly six years after Apple removed it.
Why Apple Resists Disclosing Financials
Apple's resistance to handing over its financials stems from what India could do with them. The updated competition law allows penalties to be calculated on a company's global turnover, not just local revenue. Apple has estimated its exposure at up to $38 billion under that framework, which led it to file a writ petition in November 2025 challenging the law itself. Since October 2024, Apple has refused to provide financial data to the CCI, using its separate legal challenge as cover.
The CCI, losing patience, scheduled a final hearing for May 21, prompting Apple to seek an emergency stay from the High Court. In an April 24 court filing reviewed by Reuters, Apple accused the CCI of 'usurping' judicial authority by pushing ahead with proceedings while its legal challenge remains pending, calling the scheduled hearing an 'escalation' designed to circumvent the court's oversight.
Court's Decision
The court was unmoved. Proceedings will continue, and Apple, after years of evasion, now has until July 15 to demonstrate cooperation. Apple's only concession: the regulator cannot issue a final ruling before July 15, when the matter returns to court.
About the Author
The TOI Tech Desk is a dedicated team of journalists committed to delivering the latest and most relevant news from the world of technology to readers of The Times of India. Their coverage spans gadget launches, reviews, trends, in-depth analysis, exclusive reports, and breaking stories impacting technology and the digital universe.
