According to the information released by the Anti Monopoly Bureau of the Russian Federation on January 22, Apple has paid off 1.2 billion rubles of anti-monopoly fines on January 19. It is reported that the reason for issuing the fine is that Apple bound the use of the Apple payment system in software developed in Russia, refusing Russian developers to use third-party payments.
It is reported that the Anti Monopoly Bureau of the Russian Federation ruled in July 2022 that Apple Inc. had violated Russian anti-monopoly laws. On January 17, 2023, the Russian Federal Anti Monopoly Bureau imposed a penalty of 1.2 billion rubles on Apple.
The Russian Anti Monopoly Agency stated that the App Store prohibits iOS app developers from informing users inside the app that they can pay purchase fees or use other payment methods outside of the App Store. Meanwhile, Apple requires developers to remove directional external links and change app features, otherwise their apps will not be allowed to be listed on the App Store.
It is reported that this move is suspected of monopolizing and affecting the rights and interests of developers and consumers.