Following multiple reports that Ola and Uber allegedly charge different fares for the same ride on the same route depending on whether the user is on an Android or iPhone, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs issued notices to both cab aggregators, asking them to clarify the fare discrepancies.

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) called the issue apparent differential pricing and asked the companies for a detailed explanation of their pricing methodologies. They also urged the companies to address concerns about potential discrimination and to ensure transparency and fairness in how fares are calculated.

Union Minister of Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi intervened, directing the CCPA to investigate Uber, Ola, and Rapido for alleged “unfair trade practices” and a “blatant disregard” for consumer rights, emphasizing the government’s “zero tolerance for consumer exploitation.”

As a follow-up to the earlier observation of apparent #DifferentialPricing based on the different models of mobiles (#iPhones/ #Android) being used, Department of Consumer Affairs through the CCPA, has issued notices to major cab aggregators #Ola and #Uber, seeking their…

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— Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) January 23, 2025

He also instructed the CCPA to conduct a thorough investigation and submit a report promptly.

The controversy was sparked by a series of social media posts from a Delhi-based entrepreneur, who compared fares on both devices under various conditions, including battery levels. These posts highlighted discrepancies in pricing between the two platforms.

The matter first gained widespread attention in December, when an X user shared an image showing two different fares for the same Uber ride on an iPhone and an Android device.

In response, Uber denied any correlation between the type of phone and the fare, attributing price variations to factors like pick-up locations, ETA, and drop-off points. The company maintained that it does not personalize pricing based on the mobile phone used.

However, despite Uber’s denial, many social media users continued to report fare discrepancies between Android and iOS users for identical rides.

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