Indian Court Rejects Apple's Bid to Pause App Store Probe

An Indian court has ruled that Apple must cooperate with a government investigation into its App Store practices, rejecting the company's attempt to put the case on hold.

The Delhi High Court ruling keeps a probe by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) alive. The CCI found in 2024 that Apple had abused its dominant position in the iPhone apps market. The CCI wants Apple's financial data to calculate potential penalties, but Apple has refused to hand it over so far.

Apple's argument is largely procedural. It is separately challenging the legality of India's penalty framework in court and says the CCI should wait until that challenge is resolved. India's updated competition law allows fines to be based on a company's global revenue rather than just local earnings, which given Apple's scale could mean enormous exposure.

The court did not give Apple the pause it wanted. It did prevent the CCI from issuing a final ruling before July 15, buying the company some time. Apple also succeeded in getting certain documents placed on the legal record, though the court order didn't say what they were.

India is one of Apple's most important growth markets. Counterpoint Research puts the company's iPhone market share there at 9%, up from just 4% two years ago. Apple has also been ramping up iPhone manufacturing in the country through Foxconn and Tata as it reduces its dependence on China. A hostile regulatory environment complicates that ambition.

It is also the latest front in a years-long global battle over App Store rules. Apple faces similar scrutiny in the U.S. and Europe, where regulators and courts have pushed back on its control over app distribution and in-app payments.