Fifty-five iPhone and iPad users in China have filed a joint complaint with the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), accusing Apple of abusing its dominant position by requiring all app transactions to go through its official App Store. The complaint also challenges Apple's mandatory in-app purchase (IAP) system, which imposes commissions of up to 30%, according to Reuters and Sina.
Represented by a lawyer, the group formally submitted its petition to SAMR last week, urging regulators to open an official investigation into Apple's allegedly monopolistic practices in China.
The complaint contends that Apple keeps a tightly closed ecosystem in China while allowing third-party app stores and alternative payments in the US and Europe under regulatory pressure. The users argue that such "differential treatment" constitutes unfair competition.
The petition outlines three core accusations: Apple's monopoly on app distribution that confines downloads to its App Store; its enforcement of IAP-only digital purchases, blocking alternative payment options; and its 30% commission, which the group claims cuts into developer profits and drives up consumer costs.
The plaintiffs' lawyer said Apple's practices breach China's Anti-Monopoly Law, which prohibits abuse of market dominance, and may also violate provisions on "differential treatment" and "restriction of trade freedom."
Apple serves more than 500 million active users in China, a vast and highly enclosed market. While it opened to third-party payments and app stores in the EU to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), it continues to maintain full control of its ecosystem in China.
Apple has not yet responded to the allegations.
Industry analysts say the timing is notable, as the case comes amid intensifying US-China tech trade tensions. Beijing has recently tightened oversight of American firms, including Qualcomm and Intel, and the complaint against Apple may signal a form of "regulatory reciprocity" in China's digital governance.
Analysts add that if SAMR launches a formal investigation, it would mark China's first major antitrust probe into Apple's App Store model, one that could reshape its long-term position in the country's app and payment ecosystem.
Article edited by Jack Wu
