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TomTom cleared to purchase Tele Atlas, Garmin shrugs
Despite issuing an early statement of objection, the EC has come around to see the merits of a TomTom / Tele Atlas deal. In fact, the two companies have received "unconditional clearance" from the European Commission for the proposed acquisition. The US already approved the deal in October. Thing is, shareholders better get a move on since the bidding-war-boosted $4.2 billion offer (plus another $300 million thanks to the weakass dollar) made in November is set to expire on May 30th. Although it could be extended. Of course, Garmin made a move for Tele Atlas early on with a $3.3 billion bid of its own. Nevertheless, with TomTom profits heading downward and Garmin's own, hotly anticipated Nuvifone on the horizon, maybe Garmin will be laughing last after all.
European Commission set to talk antitrust with Apple, music labels
Last we heard anything about Apple's antitrust troubles in Europe was in June, when the company issued a last-minute response to the European Commission's investigation into the matter. Now, according to Ars Technica, Apple is getting ready to meet directly with the EC, with a number of music labels also along for the ride. The hearings, dealing with alleged unfair pricing practices of Apple's iTunes stores in Europe, will take place September 19th and 20th, although the EC is apparently stressing that they will not lead directly to a final decision. Interestingly, EMI, Universal Music Group, and Sony BMG will each be meeting with the EC and Apple separately. That's apparently being done in order to protect the "confidential nature" of each company's agreement with Apple.
Intel responds to EU charges, deems actions 'beneficial' to consumers
Shortly after the European Commission issued a Statement of Objections against Intel asseverating that it used unfair and unlawful tactics against AMD, Intel has fired back a statement of its own in response. Put simply, Intel declared that it is "confident that the microprocessor market segment is functioning normally and that Intel's conduct has been lawful, pro-competitive, and beneficial to consumers." Furthermore, the company noted that while it would "certainly have preferred to avoid the cost and inconvenience of establishing that its competitive conduct in Europe has been lawful, the Commission's decision to issue a Statement of Objections means that at last Intel will have the opportunity to hear and respond to the allegations made by our primary competitor." Notably, the chip giant even mentions that the case is actually "based on complaints from a direct competitor rather than customers or consumers," and concludes by suggesting that when "competitors perform and execute, the market rewards them." Settle in folks, this one has just begun.[Via TheRegister]
European Commissioner gives Microsoft one week to respond to 360 scratching woes
Although reports of the Xbox 360 scratching discs have been floating around for a while, the story really got legs a couple months ago when a Dutch TV show called Kassa aired a segment claiming to prove that the 360 damages media. Although Microsoft promised to look into the problem, apparently that's not good enough for Meglena Kuneva, the European Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, who has given Redmond exactly one week to detail how it's handled the bad DVD drive situation in the Netherlands, how widespread the problem is in other markets, and how many complaints have been received in those markets. While the Commissioner says the European Commissions doesn't have the "competencies" to force a recall at this time, she does say that she'll be "more than happy to act" if she finds legal grounds to do so. Ouch. Better get it figured out, boys -- the clock's ticking.Read - Kassa articleRead - Inquirer articleListen - (Mostly) English interview with Maglena Kuneva [streaming .wma, starts around 2:53]
