WSJ Claims Federal Antitrust Probe Also Focused on iAd
It seems that Federal watchdogs may not just be looking at Apple for its recent iPhone OS 4.0 SDK revision that blocks third-party developer tools, but also for the company’s new iAd network.The Wall Street Journal is following up on the latest news regarding a potential formal inquiry into Apple’s recent moves by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission as well as the Department of Justice first reported on Monday by The New York Post.Monday’s report claimed that Federal regulators were considering taking aim at Apple over what many view as a restrictive move to block non-Apple developer tools for the iPhone OS, including Adobe’s controversial Flash-to-iPhone compiler. But according to the usual “people familiar with the situation,†regulators may also be interested in “new language in the agreement that forbids iPhone software from transmitting analytical data.â€According to AppleInsider, existing mobile ad networks reportedly complained to regulators, claiming that Apple’s upcoming iAd service would give Cupertino a decided advantage in the mobile ad space, “making it impossible for competitors to effectively target their advertisements.â€The Journal report claims that Apple could “head off trouble†by revising the terms of its developer agreement and addressing the more draconian passages that have been ruffling feathers in recent weeks. Apple’s iAd isn’t the only mobile ad network under at least FTC scrutiny: The Federal watchdog is also keeping an eye on Google’s $750 million purchase of mobile advertising firm AdMob.
http://www.maclife.com/article/news/wsj_claims_federal_antitrust_probe_also_focused_iad
