Apple Faces New Antitrust Challenge in China Over App Store Practices

Apple is once again under scrutiny in China as a local law firm has filed a fresh antitrust complaint with the country’s top market regulator, accusing the company of monopolistic behavior within its App Store ecosystem. The filing, submitted to the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), represents 55 Chinese iPhone and iPad owners and seeks government intervention rather than a civil ruling.

The complaint claims Apple continues to restrict competition by limiting iOS app distribution exclusively to the App Store and by prohibiting developers from using third-party payment systems. It also challenges Apple’s commission structure, which takes up to 30 percent from digital purchases, an issue that has drawn similar criticism in other regions.

This latest filing revives a legal effort that initially failed in court last year when a Shanghai judge dismissed a case demanding that Apple halt its App Store commissions entirely. The attorney behind both efforts, Wang Qiongfei, now argues that Apple’s refusal to open its ecosystem in China stands in contrast to regulatory changes elsewhere. In the European Union, for instance, Apple has already implemented sideloading and alternative payment options under the Digital Markets Act, and a U.S. ruling has allowed developers to include external payment links.

By shifting the dispute from civil court to an administrative forum, Wang hopes regulators will take faster action to compel changes. Meanwhile, an appeal of the earlier court decision is still pending before China’s Supreme People’s Court, which has yet to issue a verdict.

The renewed case highlights growing pressure on Apple to adjust its App Store model across global markets, a test that could shape how tightly the company controls software and payments on its devices in one of its largest and most strategically important regions.