China Considers Antitrust Probe into Apple's App Store Practices
China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) is reportedly preparing to investigate Apple's App Store policies, including fees and app distribution restrictions. This comes amid heightened tensions between China and the United States, with China recently announcing sanctions against several U.S. companies following the imposition of new tariffs.
According to Bloomberg, SAMR is reviewing Apple's 30% commission on in-app purchases, as well as its prohibition on external payment services and app stores. The company's shares declined by 2.6% in U.S. premarket trading following the news.
Chinese regulators have reportedly been in communication with Apple executives and app developers since last year regarding potential antitrust concerns. Both Apple and SAMR have not yet commented on the matter.
In related news, SAMR announced an investigation into Google for alleged violations of China's anti-monopoly law. Additionally, the Chinese Commerce Ministry has added PVH Corp., which owns brands like Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, and Illumina to its "unreliable entity" list.