Russia opens case against Apple over App Store pay, can slap fine

MOSCOW, Oct 27 (PRIME) -- Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service has opened a case against Apple because of a ban to inform the buyers of applications in App Store about alternative means of payment and can slap a turnover-based fine, the watchdog said on Wednesday in a statement.

“Apple has failed to fulfil the warning and the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia opened a case on violation of the antimonopoly law against the company. If Apple is found guilty of disrespect of the law on competition, it can be punished with a fine based on market revenue,” the regulator said.

The antitrust authority said in August that Apple abused its dominance on the market of applications by a ban on informing the users about the other, more profitable means of payment for goods. The watchdog ordered the company to improve by September 30, which the U.S. company did not do.

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