Apple Inc on Thursday responded to complaints from Chinese app developers, saying that the company has not engaged in illegal activities against them and did not discriminate Chinese developers.
Apple said in a statement that it applies the same App Store rules in all countries and regions where it operates and that it follows local regulations and rules, according to domestic news site thepaper.cn on Thursday.
The comment came after dozens of Chinese app developers and lawyers filed formal complaints with the National Development and Reform Commission and State Administration for Industry and Commerce on Tuesday, saying that Apple's App Store has taken illegal actions against Chinese companies. The filings requested a formal case and investigation.
The developers and lawyers claimed that the App Store unilaterally removed apps developed by Chinese developers without providing a reasonable explanation and discriminated against Chinese developers by giving different treatment to complaints from Chinese developers and those from foreign developers.
They also said that Apple forces consumers to make in-app purchases through its platforms and overcharges for such services by taking 30 percent or some other percentage of the payment.
No reasonable proof or negotiating process exists for Apple to charge this 30 percent extra, they said in the filing.
"The developers can appeal if any app is declined or removed due to violating the related rules of the App Store," the company said in the statement.
