Confidential Apple data revealed by antitrust reports; now recalled

Two reports published by India’s competition regulator contained confidential Apple data, according to a complaint by the company.

The antitrust body has now asked recipients to return the reports so that the sensitive data can be redacted in new versions …

Antitrust investigation

India is one of a number of countries around the world which has Apple under investigation for allegedly abusing its dominant market position in regard to the App Store.

In most countries, the only way to sell an iPhone app is through the official App Store. Apple sets the commissions, and developers are forced to accept these terms.

Apple’s view is that this doesn’t amount to a monopoly because the relevant market is mobile apps, and the App Store only has a slice of that market. However, regulators take the view that the relevant market is iPhone apps, and that it is anti-competitive to prevent developers from selling apps either directly from their own websites (as happens with Mac apps) or through third-party app stores.

Report revealed confidential Apple data

The Indian regulator issued two reports in response to developer complaints, and Reuters reports that it has now recalled both of them after Apple objected.

India’s antitrust body has taken the unusual step of recalling two reports that detailed alleged breaches of competition law by Apple, which complained that the regulator had disclosed commercial secrets to competitors including Tinder-owner Match […]

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) asked all Apple’s opponents in the case for the return of the reports.

“It is imperative that such information be maintained confidential, ensuring that no unauthorised disclosure occurs,” the CCI said in a four-page order signed by its top four officials.

The nature of the confidential information is not stated, but likely relates to Apple’s revenues from app sales within the country.

Both reports are said to conclude that Apple was guilty of antitrust breaches.

9to5Mac’s Take

It’s likely that Apple was required to make financial disclosures to the regulator in order to reach a conclusion. The company would have expected this data to remain confidential.

Incompetence rather than malice is the most likely explanation for the inclusion of the sensitive data.

Image: Confidential by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Pix4free (cropped)