The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued notices to cab aggregators Ola and Uber over alleged discrepancies in pricing based on the type of smartphone used by consumers, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Pralhad Joshi, said on Tuesday.

In a post on X, Joshi explained that the CCPA’s action follows observations of “apparent differential pricing” linked to whether consumers use iPhones or Android devices.

“The Department of Consumer Affairs, through the CCPA, has issued notices to major cab aggregators Ola and Uber, seeking their responses,” Joshi said. 

The issue surfaced after multiple consumer complaints pointed to fare discrepancies for identical routes depending on the smartphone model. Reports indicated that higher fares were displayed on certain devices, raising concerns about fairness and transparency in pricing practices.

The CCPA has demanded clarifications from Ola and Uber regarding their pricing algorithms and the factors influencing fare variations. The investigation aims to safeguard consumer rights and enforce fair practices among digital platforms.

This is not the first instance of the CCPA intervening in matters involving technology companies. Recently, the authority issued a notice to Apple after complaints were registered on the National Consumer Helpline. Consumers reported performance issues with iPhones following updates to iOS 18 and later versions. The CCPA sought Apple’s explanation to address these grievances.

“The department, after examining complaints regarding performance issues in #iPhones following the iOS 18+ software update, has issued a notice to #Apple through the CCPA, seeking a response,” Joshi shared in another post.

(Inputs from ANI)