On January 23, an Indian government agency issued notices to ride-hailing companies Ola and Uber regarding alleged price discrepancies between Android and Apple devices, as stated by the country's consumer affairs minister, Pralhad Joshi, in a post on X.

This action follows numerous reports in local media and complaints on social platforms stating that iPhone users were being charged higher fares compared to Android users for the same ride.

Joshi announced plans to instruct the Central Consumer Protection Agency (CCPA) to investigate differential pricing practices in various sectors, including food delivery and online ticketing services.

Ola and Uber have not yet responded to Reuters' request for comments.

India, a crucial market for Uber, is witnessing intense competition between Uber, SoftBank-backed Ola, local competitor Rapido, and all-electric ride service provider, BluSmart, outside of the United States and Canada.

Joshi recently condemned differential pricing as an "unfair trade practice" that blatantly disregards consumer rights.