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Japan may impose regulations on the mobile app market that would affect Apple

Japan to raise fines for "app store monopolies" such as Apple to 20% of sales.

Japan’s council on digital market competition discussing ways to ensure fair competition in the mobile operating system market, possibly by enacting new regulations that could affect companies such as Apple and Alphabet’s Google, reports The Japan Times.

In Japan, as is the case worldwide, the smartphone operating system market is dominated by Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android, leaving users with virtually no choice but to use the U.S. technology giants’ app stores and internet browsers.

The council said that the government will consider ways to prohibit acts that could have a negative impact on competition, without being bound by limits under current regulations. Possible regulatory options will include ensuring thorough disclosure of information on operating systems and other rule changes by tech giants, according to The Japan Times.

Dennis Sellers
the authorDennis Sellers
Dennis Sellers is the editor/publisher of Apple World Today. He’s been an “Apple journalist” since 1995 (starting with the first big Apple news site, MacCentral). He loves to read, run, play sports, and watch movies.