Investing.com -- Apple Inc's (NASDAQ:AAPL) policies and the fees it charges app developers are under review by China's antitrust watchdog, a move that could potentially become another issue in the ongoing trade war with the United States, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.
China's State Administration for Market Regulation is focusing on Apple's policies, which include taking up to a 30% cut on in-app spending and the prohibition of external payment services and stores, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.
Apple shares were down 2.58% in premarket trading on Wednesday.
The report added that officials from the agency have been in discussions with Apple executives and app developers since last year.
This indicates that the review began before Donald Trump became President of the United States, after which he introduced 10% tariffs on China, prompting the country to retaliate with similar tariffs and restrictions.
China also launched a probe into Alphabet Inc's Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) on Tuesday over allegations of anti-competitive behavior.
According to the report, Chinese regulators suspect that Apple may be imposing unreasonably high fees on local developers. They also believe that the prohibition of third-party app stores and payment methods limits competition and negatively impacts local consumers.
If Apple resists making changes, the government may initiate a formal investigation, Bloomberg added.