China’s Party Paper Urges Apple to Fix ‘Monopolistic’ Policies

Apple Inc. needs to ease app store restrictions and fix “monopolistic” practices, the Chinese ruling party’s flagship newspaper said just days after the iPhone maker agreed to cut local app store fees in a major concession.

The decision showed Chinese regulators are gaining ground in fighting anti-competitive behavior, the People’s Daily wrote in a commentary published Tuesday. But Chinese users and developers still face a welter of restrictions, including the inability to access third-party payment services, the newspaper said. The market is watching closely to see if Apple will finally dismantle its ‘fence’ and open up its ecosystem, it added. ...