(March 17): Apple Inc needs to ease app store restrictions and fix “monopolistic” practices, the Chinese ruling party’s flagship newspaper said just days after the iPhone maker agreed to cut local app store fees in a major concession.
The decision showed Chinese regulators are gaining ground in fighting anti-competitive behaviour, the People’s Daily wrote in a commentary published on Tuesday. But Chinese users and developers still face a welter of restrictions, including the inability to access third-party payment services, the newspaper said. The market is watching closely to see if Apple will finally dismantle its ‘fence’ and open up its ecosystem, it added.
The frank editorial underscored how Apple, which has clashed with Tencent Holdings Ltd and ByteDance Ltd over its iOS app store policies, may continue to face pressure from Beijing. Last week, the US company announced that it’s dropping its typical commission on mainland app store purchases to 25% from 30% — a big climbdown by the Cupertino, California-based firm in its most important market after the US. An Apple spokesperson didn’t respond to an email and message seeking comments.
Apple has made a series of concessions globally under mounting antitrust pressure from regulators. In 2024, it agreed to open up its mobile wallet technology to other providers free of charge for a decade in Europe, via a settlement that ended an investigation. In China, the antitrust watchdog has been examining the company’s policies in taking a cut on in-app spending and barring external payment services and stores, Bloomberg News reported last year.
“In point of fact, Apple’s App Store has long been criticised by the market for alleged monopolistic practices,” the People’s Daily wrote. “In contrast, Android is highly open, supporting not only Google Play Store but also app stores from manufacturers like Huawei and Xiaomi, as well as third-party app stores.”
Apple has sought to fend off monopoly-related accusations in China, where regulators have used that label against US firms such as Nvidia Corp. In 2024, it filed a petition asking a local court to strike references to its “dominant position” in a lawsuit ruling, although it won that particular case.
See also: US presses WTO to keep the global internet tariff-free forever
“Tougher antitrust scrutiny of big tech firms has become an irreversible trend,” the People’s Daily wrote. Stronger regulation is needed to safeguard fair competition as AI deepens tech companies’ influence on daily life, it wrote.
Uploaded by Tham Yek Lee
