http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/May 4th 2010 11:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/May 4th 2010 12:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/May 4th 2010 12:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
Didn't know about the iAd part...
Proxy wars are all too evident!]]>May 4th 2010 12:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/May 4th 2010 12:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
Bout time this happened. I went android, but I wouldn't mind switching to an unrestricted iPhone. Let's hope this goes the right way, and they admit their mobile devices are computers and should be open.]]>May 4th 2010 12:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
I agree, Apple is trying to roll with the big boys of development and they have no clue what they are doing.]]>May 4th 2010 12:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
They'd have to have known.

As an Apple detractor, I don't care if they proceed with this or not. People will eventually realize how controlling and authoritarian the company is and how that affects their products... or they won't. I understand the basic argument is that developers will only develop for iPhone if they can't develop cross-platform from the beginning, but as a non-programmer I wonder how that's different from the current game console situation. There's no cross-platform SDK for those.

You can't make people want freedom if they're happy with their (they believe) benevolent dictatorship.]]>May 4th 2010 12:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
Ok, I know this one's headed to oblivion, but I'll go ahead and say what I think...

There were hundreds of millions of dollars invested in buying admob with the target of making it the mobile equivalent of google's web ad business.

There comes Apple waltzing with its developer agreements, making other ad services totally handicapped on all iDevices.

We know big G has good government ties.

So did we really expect them to sit back and not protect their investment? How hard is it to pull some strings behind the door. This also avoids any sensationalist Google vs Apple tabloid news.

That's what I think. I could be totally wrong, but definitely not impossible. ]]>May 4th 2010 12:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
Next stop? iTunes/The entire modern system for selling music. All of it is controlled completely by a small handful of companies, keeping the prices up even on older music. ]]>May 4th 2010 12:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
Yea... hand em their iArse!]]>May 4th 2010 12:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
The DOJ has no case. This will go no where. Apple will just argue that Flash will be available on competing platforms, so how exactly is Apple restricting competition? The fact that other platforms will use Flash and Flash compilers could actually help other companies to compete with Apple.

So, this will be dramatic for a couple of days, as Apple makes a response citing their lack of a monopoly and then it will disappear like the FCC inquiry a couple of years ago.]]>May 4th 2010 12:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
"I wonder how that's different from the current game console situation. There's no cross-platform SDK for those."

Yup, but if one were developed (which is not totally inconceivable) and the XBox dev agreement suddenly said "hmm... no, you're going to have to buy a system from us for two grand if you want to play, even though your cross-compiled apps run just fine", people would be pissed.]]>May 4th 2010 12:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
Justice? For what? Setting developer terms? What a joke!

Adobe looks pitiful on this one.
]]>May 4th 2010 12:21PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/May 4th 2010 12:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
Honestly I'm glad they're doing this.

I know Apple should have some control over their products, but I mean a totally closed and controlled environment? I mean if a car company were to do something along the lines of what Apple is doing, kinda like only being able to buy replacement parts out of a certified dealer at a ridiculous price, and only being able to install company approved performance parts, the whole world would speak against it, but no it's not like that once you buy it, it's yours.

I'm serious, people should stop sucking up to Apple and see what's going on. I don't have a problem with Apple products, I have a problem with Apple themselves.
]]>May 4th 2010 12:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/Yes, okay, but if there's a developer that makes a cross-platform toolkit which makes it easier to create a game for both the consoles (all big three) and PC's, that should be allowable right? I mean, you don't find Nintendo or Sony or Microsoft block CryEngine 3 because it's using more than just the tools the consolemakers themselves provided for developing games.
That's what Apple seems to be doing now, and that should be investigated.]]>May 4th 2010 12:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/May 4th 2010 12:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
Bad example. Many times the installation of these performance parts can void the warranty. Hell, even where you drive the vehicle can void the warranty (smaller Hummers can't be driven off road without voiding the warranty). This is the same as jail-breaking your iPhone, it allows you to do what you want, but voids your warranty.]]>May 4th 2010 12:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
Am I missing something? It's seems to me the vast majority of popular games are infact multi-platform and built using various cross compiling tools like the Unreal Engine. ]]>May 4th 2010 12:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
When we see a definite announcement with some real quotes, then folks can start the high fives and fist pumping]]>May 4th 2010 12:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/You are throwing words like authoritarian and dictatorship like they apply in the software world. You have plenty of choice out there, it's not like you are born in Apple's world.
And, btw, the closed system affects their products very well - provides an awesome experience, which is why I buy them.]]>May 4th 2010 12:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
hate to break up the action for a bit... but i just wanted to commend you all for the awesome insightful conversation you have going on. no flaming, trolling, needless stupidity, etc... just intelligent input.

i upranked you all. have a great day =)]]>May 4th 2010 12:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/May 4th 2010 12:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/you still dont get the second part of antritrust.
the part where is does not state monopoly at all.

but being in a dominant position in one market, and with abusive and predatory ways, using the domainant position to eliminate the competition.

and that is exactly what they did with the smartphones: dominant position, see Apple itself glows over the fact that they revolutionized that industry and ll are now following.

or for the music.
and then go publicly on an all out war against adobe.

hmmm, seems to fit very well the above definition, and warrants at least having it looked at.]]>May 4th 2010 12:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
The Microsoft case was completely different. Microsoft had something like 93 percent market share at the time. They were a monopoly. Apple has 25 percent market share in the U.S. And despite the big myth about the lawsuit against Microsoft, it really had nothing to do with “bundling” Internet Explorer. Many people forget this, but the primary reason that Microsoft got sued was due to their threats against computer manufacturers, who were trying to install Netscape by default on the Windows desktop. Here's some links if you don't believe me:

http://www.windowsitpro.com/article/news2/pc-makers-were-threatened-by-microsoft-over-ie-4.aspx

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/14653.stm

The following link is actually the court document outlining the civil action against Microsoft. Notice that the opening paragraphs speak mostly about OEMs and not about the bundling of Internet Explorer.

http://www.justice.gov/atr/cases/f200400/200457.pdf

Sorry to ruin your hopes, but there is actually very little chance Apple is going to be sued for antitrust violations. Apple would have to be stifling Flash development and cross compilers ON OTHER PLATFORMS like Android for them to be considered anticompetitive. Since Flash and cross compilers are coming out for other platforms, Apple hasn't actually done anything to kill competition. Without a monopoly, they don't have that power.
]]>May 4th 2010 1:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
For what ?

While we're at it, why in the hell is the ftc wasting time on this, meanwhile I, and many people in this country, can only get 1 freaking cable provider in their area ? Nothing anti competitive about that huh. ]]>May 4th 2010 1:03PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
If they launching an antitrust inquiry into Apple... they blew it.]]>May 4th 2010 1:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson%E2%80%93Moss_Warranty_Act]]>May 4th 2010 1:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/May 4th 2010 1:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
Insightful?? Are you serious?? Most of the people up above think government interference in the corporate world usually turns out positively.

Let's be honest, the self-proclaimed experts on Engadget have no insight into antitrust / patent law etc etc]]>May 4th 2010 1:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
There is one unique difference. Microsoft allows you do develop windows apps anyway that you can. People even bring up the video game consoles being 'locked down.' But companies develop or utilize various engines for creating those games (Unreal for example). Apple just punked Unreal, Unity, and Adboe along with a whole bunch of others with the redoric... you didn't write it from scratch using your own objective-c or c. BULLSHIT, Apple is targeting Adobe with its press releases, but you are telling me your average developer can write a 3D engine from scratch better than if they had Unreal or Unity?

That is where that piece of antitrust comes into play. ]]>May 4th 2010 1:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/The problem is that Apple DOES have a controlling share of the smart phone market, and they are using that position to shut out the competition.

That is precisely what anti-trust laws are meant to prevent...]]>May 4th 2010 1:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
If the inquiry is focused on determining if Apple is violating the Anti-trust law in a strict sense ( attempting to gain a monopoly position in the market ) it will not come to much at all. If , however, they focus on various fair trade regulations it might become interesting.I'm pretty sure it's only a matter of time before the European commission will starts its own investigation regarding these issues.]]>May 4th 2010 1:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
"To be considered anti-competitive, Apple would have to be restricting Flash development on other platforms through the sheer weigh of their monopoly power, which they don't have."

Not true. I refer you to this /. post, which I feel explains the issue of anticompetitive practices perfectly.

http://apple.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1639392&cid=32076936]]>May 4th 2010 1:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/This would make a lot of sense if the iPhone was the only cellphone available on the US market. It's not. Grow up.]]>May 4th 2010 1:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
"they are using that position to shut out the competition."

Who do you consider Apple's competition? You're not making much sense. Apple is shutting out Google? Palm? RIM? Microsoft? Those companies are Apple's competitors. How exactly is Apple shutting those guys out? The last time I checked, they all have smartphones either on the market or coming to the market. Apple is restricting what they will allow on THEIR platform, NOT another company's platform.

I think you guys misunderstand the concept of Antitrust.

]]>May 4th 2010 1:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/May 4th 2010 1:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/May 4th 2010 1:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/May 4th 2010 1:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/May 4th 2010 1:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/May 4th 2010 1:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
Well, there is one difference -- Apple's policies are far more restrictive.]]>May 4th 2010 1:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/So why was MS sued back in the late 90's. Consumers didn't care back then either.]]>May 4th 2010 1:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
iAd hasn't even been released yet, so we'll see how that plays out. There are already rumors that Apple might change their policies with that. Of course, all of this is officially still a big fat rumor.]]>May 4th 2010 1:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/May 4th 2010 1:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/May 4th 2010 1:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/That's true, you're right it hasn't been released yet. I guess it will depend on what the final terms are regarding iAd, but there is definitely the potential for that to have anti-trust implications.

While I don't necessarily support what they're doing with the developer terms for applications, I don't really think it has much merit as far as being anti-trust, but we'll see.]]>May 4th 2010 1:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/Hey I'm mApple mmkay? I don't answer to justice mmkay? Justice answers to me and I suck her lady tits mmkay? That's what Jobs' thinking right now lol. But honestly, they are given the benefit of the doubt til proven guilty. Just be smart and open that system of yours up Apple but again they have the rights to shut people out if they want to. This system of double standards got to go. Open Source FTW (Just don't write stealth hacking codes and present it as an app or we'll kill you)]]>May 4th 2010 1:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/wsj-confirms-apple-under-preliminary-antitrust-investigation-ove/
I don't think 25% of a subset of all phones qualifies as "dominant". Apple has about 5% share of all phones sold in the U.S. and 25% of smartphones. ]]>May 4th 2010 1:59PM