Colombia has joined a growing list of jurisdictions scrutinizing Apple Inc.’s control over its app ecosystem, opening a formal investigation into whether the company abused its dominant position in the distribution of digital goods on iPhones and iPads.
The Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (SIC), Colombia’s competition regulator, announced that its Delegation for Competition Protection issued a statement of charges against Apple Inc. and Apple Services Latam LLC on August 19. The authority said its preliminary findings suggest Apple may have used its market power to impose restrictions that hindered competition, in violation of Colombian law.
According to the SIC, Apple required app developers to distribute their products exclusively through its App Store, prohibiting the creation of rival platforms or alternative app stores. By restricting developers from bypassing Apple’s ecosystem, the company allegedly preserved a de facto monopoly over app distribution on iOS and iPadOS.
The probe also centers on Apple’s in-app purchase system, which developers must use to sell digital services and subscriptions. Regulators said Apple barred developers from offering other payment methods or even informing users about cheaper alternatives, ensuring all transactions flowed through its proprietary platform. Apple charges a commission of between 15% and 30% on these purchases, a practice long criticized by developers as excessive.
The SIC said these contractual requirements may have created artificial barriers for new entrants, raised costs for consumers, and degraded the user experience by restricting payment options and limiting access to information. The authority stressed that such practices could have significant negative effects on innovation and consumer welfare in Colombia’s fast-growing digital economy.
The Colombian investigation mirrors antitrust battles Apple has faced elsewhere. In the United States, the Department of Justice filed a landmark lawsuit earlier this year accusing the company of monopolizing the smartphone market. In Europe, regulators have fined Apple for restricting competition in music streaming and are enforcing new rules under the Digital Markets Act that require the company to open its ecosystem to alternative app stores and payment systems. Authorities in South Korea and Japan have also pressed the company to loosen its in-app purchase rules.
For Colombia, the case signals the regulator’s willingness to confront global tech giants and test the boundaries of its competition framework in digital markets. While no penalties have yet been imposed, the proceedings could force Apple to alter its business practices in the country, potentially setting a precedent for Latin America, where regulatory oversight of digital platforms is still developing.
“The launch of this investigation reaffirms our commitment to protecting free competition in digital markets and safeguarding consumer welfare,” the SIC said in a statement.
Apple has not yet commented publicly on the Colombian probe. The company has previously defended its App Store rules as necessary to ensure security, privacy and a reliable user experience. Still, as regulators from Bogotá to Brussels increase pressure, Apple faces mounting challenges to a business model that has helped turn the App Store into one of the company’s most lucrative revenue streams.
