Following the European Commission’s mandate for Apple to allow third-party app stores on iOS in the EU, other countries are now investigating Apple for antitrust and monopolistic practices. Most recently, it was reported that Japan is looking to increase fines for large companies involved in monopolistic behavior.
Under the current law in Japan, the proposed fine is set at 6% of sales, but policymakers are considering increasing it to 20%. Additionally, any future violations of the law would result in a penalty of 30% of sales.
In December 2023, Japan signaled upcoming changes and even warned Apple of bigger plans to revamp its regulations on anti-competitive practices. Japan’s primary concern lies with Apple’s App Store.
Similar to the situation in the EU, Japan may require Apple to open up its platform to third-party app stores and alternative payment systems. Currently, all subscriptions and paid apps must be processed through Apple’s payment system, incurring a fee of up to 30%.
If other countries worldwide adopt similar measures, Apple might be compelled to make its closed ecosystem more open, as managing different versions for each market would be challenging.