A Moscow court has ruled that it was lawful for Russia’s anti-monopoly regulator to open an antitrust case against Apple over an App Store payment dispute, dismissing a case brought by the tech giant, reports Reuters.
In December 2021, Apple brought legal action against Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) in an effort to challenge the request to “stop abuse in the market” submitted by that body earlier this year,” according to a RT report.
The article said Apple is seeking a judicial review of a warning, which is forcing the iPhone maker to allow app developers to tell customers about alternative payment options when using its App Store platform.
The warning, delivered by the government body in August, gave Apple a September 30, 2021, deadline to resolve the issue. Back then, the regulator warned that the tech giant could face a fine that would be calculated based on its revenue in Russia. But Apple appealed.
Since appeal was denied, the antitrust case will proceed. If Apple is found guilty of monopoly practices, it could face a fine based on its revenue in Russia.
