iPhone maker Apple under CCI scanner

iPhone and iPad maker Apple Inc. has come under the scanner of the Competition Commission of India for allegedly limiting the availability of its products to a few service providers using its dominant market position. A customer has filed a complaint before the Commission under section 4 of the Competition Act 2002 that Apple is curbing the customer's choice by limiting the availability of iPhones and iPads in India to a limited number of service providers, besides its signature stores.

At present, iPhone's latest version is available in India through Aircel and Bharti Airtel.
      
"The complainant has also alleged that a user can only download software from the i-store and the others are not recognised by the device," a senior CCI official told PTI.

When contacted, Apple has said that they have not received a copy of the complaint made to the CCI.

The Commission is due to take up the matter for consideration by the end of this week, sources said.

The Commission, which became fully functional in 2009, with the appointment of a chairman and six members, has the power to check anti-competitive agreements and abuse of dominant position, drawn from Sections 3 and 4 of the Competition Act, 2002. Beginning June 2011, the Commission also received powers to check high-voltage mergers and acquisitions, with the notification of section 5 and 6 of the Act.