The Japan Times reports that Apple has hit back at a report from the Japanese government that said the company could be hit with new regulation to ensure fair competition in the smartphone operating system market.
The interim report of the Japanese government expressed concern over the control of the smartphone operating system market by Apple and Google, and warned that their policies can damage app providers and businesses. The introduction of new rules to ban companies from limiting the ability of users to make decisions about how they want to use their devices with the added benefit of enhancing competition in the market was proposed.
The commission that developers have to pay to Apple for apps and in-app purchases, and the fact that they can only distribute through the Apple App Store were taken issue by the report. It called for OS providers to allow users to use third-party app stores and for companies to give more information about their systems.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said that the proposed changes aim to improve fair and equal competition. Apple said in a statement that it disagrees with a number of conclusions in the Japanese government report, and that it is facing intense competition.
The Japanese government will gather opinions from the public before making a final report on the matter. The European Union is considering a Digital Markets Act that could force major changes to Apple's platforms and services.
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