The Competition Commission of India has ordered the recall of an investigation report that found Apple Inc. in violation of competition laws. This decision came after the American tech giant complained that its trade secrets had been leaked to its competitors, including the owner of the dating app Tinder – the online dating service company Match.
According to Reuters, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has ordered the recall of the relevant report on the anti-trust investigation against Apple Inc. This action will prolong the anti-trust investigation process that began in 2021, which has already suffered a tarnished reputation due to delays.
In a confidential order dated August 7th, revealed by Reuters, the Competition Commission of India demanded that all competitors of Apple Inc. in this case return the investigation report to the supervisory authority.
In a four-page order signed by four senior officials of the Competition Commission of India, it was stated: “Information must be kept confidential, ensuring that unauthorized leaks do not occur.”
However, the order did not specify the exact contents of Apple Inc.’s confidential information that raised concerns.
Reuters reported in July this year that the anti-trust investigation department, in two reports from 2022 and 2024, discovered that Apple Inc. had exploited its dominant position in the app market through its iOS operating system.
Companies currently required to return the investigation report include Match and the Indian startup group ADIF, representing the financial giant Paytm.
This order indicates that Apple Inc. had privately complained to the Competition Commission of India that the report shared with various parties had leaked “Apple Inc.’s confidential business-sensitive information,” and Apple Inc. requested the supervisory body to “recall and revoke” these reports.
At the time of writing, Apple Inc. and Match have not commented on the matter. The Competition Commission of India and the Indian startup group ADIF did not respond to Reuters’ request for comments.