2024-04-04 17:55:46
After being fined — for allegedly abusing its dominant position in the market — for Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russiaa Apple continues to be targeted by the regulatory body. This time, the company is being questioned due to the limitations faced by apps from Russian banks and payment services in App Store.
As reflected by the Reuters, the SAF sent a request for clarification to Apple, asking why banks operating in Russia cannot distribute iOS apps. The agency highlighted that the majority of Russian banking apps were removed from the App Store and that Apple does not allow the installation of apps from sources other than its store.
In this way, the company would be making it impossible for Russian banks and contactless payment services to operate. The company’s actions would contain signs of violation of the country’s antitrust legislation, according to the SAF, which requested the presentation of a detailed position from Apple on the issue.
What the agency strategically ignored, as remembered by AppleInsiderit was the fact that Russia was under unilateral sanctions two United States, of the European Union and other countries due to the war once morest Ukraine. These measures prevent, for example, companies from these nations from doing business with Russian banks, which is precisely the root of the problem.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, at least 7 mil apps have already been removed from the Russian App Store, with the Apple Pay it was also suspended in the country — probably an attempt by Apple not to comply with the sanctions. The bans even motivated the creation of disguised Russian banking apps to circumvent the measures.
It is possible that the SAF observed the changes promoted by the Digital Markets Law (Digital Markets Actor DMA) to include the issue of sideloading in your complaint. Russia’s intention may also be to force Apple to allow alternative distribution of apps, although sanctions may also represent obstacles in this regard, as the company still analyzes and charges fees for apps distributed in this way in the EU.
Thus, the body — already in the context of other punishments once morest Apple — appears to be transforming this limitation imposed by the sanctions into a competition issue. It is quite likely that, following the company provides clarifications, new decisions will be made regarding limitations on Russian banking apps on iOS.
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