Apple's Fees Threaten Tinder's Revenues

New Delhi - Apple's fees in India, which can reach up to 30%, will negatively impact the revenues of Match Group, the owner of Tinder, over time. The company stated in its application before the Indian Competition Commission that heavy fines are needed.

Tinder is one of the largest players in the dating app market in India, which is expected to be valued at $1.42 billion by 2030. Since 2022, Match has been engaged in an antitrust battle with Apple at the Indian Competition Commission.

In a probe conducted last year, a report was published indicating that the American smartphone company exhibited "abusive behaviors" in the application market on its iOS operating system. Apple denies doing anything wrong, arguing that Google's Android system is predominantly used in India.

On October 13, Match filed a request with the Indian Competition Commission to demand that Apple cease its anti-competitive practices. Match stated, “Apple's policies are adversely affecting the return on investment and revenue streams of Match's portfolio brands.”

Match expressed that the long-term restrictions and excessive fees imposed by Apple will hinder the company's growth and scalability.

As Apple faces antitrust scrutiny worldwide, a London court ruled on Thursday that the company has taken unfair commissions from app developers. Apple's smartphone base in India has quadrupled in the last five years.

According to Counterpoint Research, by mid-2025, only 4.5% of the 735 million smartphones in India will be using iOS. The Indian Competition Commission has the authority to impose fines of up to 10% of Apple’s global average revenue for the last three financial years.

The CCI investigation team last year found that Apple does not allow any third-party payment processors to provide in-app purchasing services.

In its application, Match raised claims of discriminatory treatment, pointing out the similarity of services provided between the Uber app and Tinder.

European Union regulators asked Apple in April to lift restrictions preventing app developers from steering users to lower-priced offers outside the App Store. In June, Apple modified its App Store rules to comply with this request.