14 DAY TRIAL // Cupertino-based Apple is facing new legal trouble, this time in Russia where it’s being accused of violation of competition laws by blocking parental control apps from being published in the App Store.
The Russia Federal Anti-Monopoly Service, or FAS, claims Apple has abused its dominant position in the App Store and banned a series of apps offering parental controls, including Kaspersky’s Safe Kids.
In fact, the investigation started in August 2019 after an official complaint made by Kaspersky in which the Russian security vendor accused the company of banning its app only to then offer similar functionality bundled with the operating system.
“From our point of view, Apple appears to be using its position as platform owner and supervisor of the sole channel for delivering apps to users of the platform to dictate terms and prevent other developers from operating on equal terms with it,” Kaspersky said in its complaint.
Apple says it’ll appeal the ruling
The security firm said Kaspersky Safe Kids, which was already a popular app in the App Store, lost two important features following Apple’s ban, namely app control and Safari browser blocking. The restrictions were announced at a time when Apple was getting ready to introduce Screen Time, the new feature that now comes bundled with the OS and is supposed to provide iPhone owners with a clearer picture of how devices are being used.
Now FAS says the Cupertino-based company will be ordered to resolve these violations.
"Apple occupies a dominant position with a 100% share of the market for mobile apps based on the iOS operating system because it is only legally possible to install such apps from the App Store," the Russian antitrust body explains.
On the other hand, Apple has already announced that it would appeal the ruling.