Colombia has become the latest country to accuse Apple of anticompetitive practices, alleging that contractual clauses prevent developers from creating or distributing apps outside the App Store.
The country's Superintendency of Industry and Commerce (SIC) has announced an investigation into practices that purportedly restrict competition in the digital goods market of Colombia. Apple is alleged to have implemented strategies to prevent third-party app marketplaces.
The SIC claims that Apple effectively forces developers to distribute applications only through the App Store, making the company a monopoly in terms of digital distribution. As the Spanish-language publications MobileTime and MacMagazine note, the SIC says Apple, through its policies, restricted third-party access to the app distribution market, potentially violating Decree 2153 of 1992.
The government agency also suggests that Apple prevented developers from offering users alternative, and potentially cheaper payment methods for in-app purchases. For reference, Apple imposes fees ranging from 15 to 30% on transactions made through its in-app purchase system, which undoubtedly results in higher prices as costs are passed on to end users.
According to the SIC, Apple's policies hinder the retention of existing developers and obstruct the entry of new ones, all while allowing for a degraded customer experience by denying users access to alternative payment methods and relevant information.
Apple has been the subject of multiple antitrust investigations and lawsuits over the years, from neighboring Brazil all the way to the United States. The iPhone maker even had to implement alternative app marketplaces in the European Union, and we could see the same thing happen in Japan.
It remains to be seen whether or not the investigation in Colombia will lead to any changes in App Store rules and policies, but the SIC remains committed to its goal of protecting Colombian developers and consumers.
