Apple Faces Antitrust Investigation From Brazil Watchdog

Carolina Millan and Caio Rinaldi, Bloomberg News

The Apple Inc. logo at one of the company's stores in Sydney, Australia, on Friday, March 18, 2022. The debut of Apple's latest iPhone brings a change to the way its U.S. customers can purchase the device, a move toward cutting wireless carriers out of the process and giving the tech giant more control. Photographer: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg , Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) -- Brazil’s antitrust watchdog Cade has started an investigation into Apple Inc for alleged abuse of a dominant position.

Cade opened the probe on Jan. 12 following a complaint filed by Latin America’s e-commerce and fintech giant MercadoLibre Inc, the agency said in a statement. The complaint adds to a series of antitrust cases around the world, including in the US, EU, UK, South Korea, Japan, India and Indonesia, Cade added.

The Apple press office did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment.

The Cupertino, California-based company usually requires developers to use its own payment system, which helps ensure it receives a commission for apps downloaded on its platform. That tight control has attracted lawsuits and antitrust scrutiny, often focusing on Apple’s refusal to allow developers to steer users to other payment methods.

Read More: Why App Store Fees Are Drawing Fire Worldwide

MercadoLibre in December filed complaints in Brazil and Mexico — its two largest markets — alleging that Apple is violating anti-competitive practices by prohibiting third-parties from distributing digital goods on iOS apps and leading to higher prices.

The Brazil investigation may take as long as two and a half years to be resolved.

--With assistance from Vinícius Andrade and Carolina Gonzalez.