Kaspersky Lab files competition complaint against Apple in Russia Apple
Kaspersky Lab has filed a complaint against Apple in Russia, alleging that the American company abused its power to remove functionality from Kaspersky’s Safe Kid app. Apple would thus thwart competition.
Kaspersky Lab filed the complaint with the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia on Tuesday. The antivirus company says it feels compelled to file the complaint because Apple reported last year that the Kaspersky Safe Kids app in iOS did not meet the App Store’s terms and conditions. The app had already been available in Apple’s store for three years.
Apple claimed that using configuration profiles in the app was against App Store policy, and Kaspersky said removal would lead to the loss of two features in the app: app control and Safari browser blocking.
Safe Kids offers parents the opportunity to monitor their children’s smartphone use and, for example, to set how long they can use certain apps and which sites they can visit. For example, app control blocks apps from running based on the App Store’s age restriction, and Safari browser blocking allows all browsers to be hidden so that children can only use the secure browser of the Kaspersky Safe Kids app.
Apple’s notification came as the company itself also integrated its Screen Time feature into iOS12, making functionality such as ‘app control’ part of its operating system, argues Kasperksy Labs. “Apple appears to be using its position of platform owner and operator of the single channel to bring apps to users of the platform to impose terms and conditions and deter other developers from trading on equal terms,” the company said.
According to Kaspersky Labs, Apple’s conduct restricts and removes competition and the company violates competition laws by creating barriers and discriminating against Kaspersky’s software. Furthermore, the company argues that it is not alone with its dissatisfaction. AdGuard would also not be happy that it can no longer block access to other apps and Kidslox would also still wait for approval of updates to its app, suggesting Kaspersky that this could also be traced to Apple’s anticompetitive practices. In addition, the company points to Spotify, which accuses Apple of dishonest behavior.