Apple Under Investigation for Antitrust Violation

[Austin MacKenzie]

Apple Under Investigation for Antitrust Violation

Apple's decision to ban Flash applications from its mobile devices has launched an antitrust inquiry against the company.

Steve Jobs really does not like Adobe Flash, a point he illustrated in an open letter citing six reasons Apple would no longer allow it on its mobile devices. In banning Flash, however, Jobs has forced devs to use Apple-specific development tools which stunts both multi-platform application releases and third-party software. This move has caused both the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission to take note, and the organizations are currently negotiating to see which will take the lead in the inquiry.

Should enough questions be raised by the inquiry, a formal investigation will be held that will delve into Apple's business practices to see if it is indeed in violation of antitrust legislation.

Outside of legal concerns, a number of critics have said the move may force developers away from Apple, instead developing applications for Apple competitors that allow Flash and thus make multi-platform release easier.

Whatever the eventual result will be, Apple's recent actions have caused the government to take notice. With Apple's rather draconian control of their application market, this might be just the thing needed to loosen the grip and put more control back in the user's hands. Of course, a potential investigation like this can take years, so instead of waiting around some developers have decided to <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/100409-WoW-Streamed-to-iPad-Via-Gaikai>take matters into their own hands.

Source: Digital Trends


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[AceDiamond]

All I can say it's about goddamn time. Even though it's not for the reasons I'd like them to be investigated I'm just glad that favorites are no longer being played.

 

[Delusibeta]

All I can say it's about goddamn time. Even though it's not for the reasons I'd like them to be investigated I'm just glad that favorites are no longer being played.

I concur. With Apple threatening a monopoly in the tablet and smartphone market, it's time for them to run the legislative gauntlet that Microsoft ran.

 

[Plinglebob]

After Microsoft was investigated, it was only a matter of time.

 

[Woodsey]

Seems to me like not using Flash is limiting them. My dad's a teacher, and wants to see about getting iPad's for his school - harder to break then normal laptops - but considering ICT lessons need Flash for certain topics, they're not viable to use at the minute.

And you'd think with all the money Jobs earns he could at least pay someone to dress him properly - come on man!

 

[Zenode]

Finally......i knew something like this would happen to apple because mr Jobs had a hissy fit over Flash

I had a little feeling in the back of my head that someone not using flash was a good thing, then i realised that its better for the industry/economy if there is SOME monopolisation which can help everyone else.

At least this will kick Apple down a few notches rather than thinking of themselves as better than everyone else.

 

[Sevre]

Steve Jobs haven't you been wearing that jumper for the last decade?

 

[Danpascooch]

GOOD! Apple can't pull this crap.

 

[ike42]

Apple practically claims to still own hardware after you buy it. They keep trying to prevent people from doing whatever they want with their own property. I mean, you can't even use itunes for terrorism according to the EULA (can't even figure out how that would be possible anyway). Someone needs to remind Apple that when they sell a product to someone, they own the hardware and can do with it what they will.

 

[mogamer]

All I can say it's about goddamn time. Even though it's not for the reasons I'd like them to be investigated I'm just glad that favorites are no longer being played.

I concur. With Apple threatening a monopoly in the tablet and smartphone market, it's time for them to run the legislative gauntlet that Microsoft ran.

That's not the reason to investigate Appple and you know it. It's the way they screw over consumers who own Apple products. Or I suppose you're ok with people who got their iphones bricked because they dared to use a product they paid for on a service other than ATT?

 

[CoverYourHead]

I hope this goes through. I really want to be able to use flash on my gorram iPod.

 

[Jared]

All I can say it's about goddamn time. Even though it's not for the reasons I'd like them to be investigated I'm just glad that favorites are no longer being played.

Same, Its nice to see people actually taking a styand and looking into the business practices of Apple...who seemingly are getting shadier, and shadier every day

 

[Vigormortis]

Does anyone else find it extremely ironic that Apple, after running that ad campaign against PCs and Microsoft back in the 80's marking them as the "Big Brother" of computing, are now becoming the same kind of company?

 

[Hashime]

Apple should not screw the company that made them dominant in the graphics business. Though apple computers are more expensive and completely propriety the industry uses more frequently. Adobe brought apple to glory.

 

[Oriana132]

And that's why I don't like Apple. I bought a cd off itunes one time...and I can't put it on my mp3 player because it's not an ipod and doesn't play Mpeg4 files. I can't convert it cause it's locked or protected or whatever and every time I try to burn it to an audio cd, itunes crashes.

F*** you and your overbearing control Apple.

 

[brewbeard]

I have difficulty understanding why Apple's under trust investigation for not supporting Adobe products, but Adobe isn't under trust investigation for being Adobe. Same with Autodesk. The only real difference is scale.

 

[jvsulliv]

You guys should really read the open letter Apple has some pretty solid reasons for not allowing Adobe Flash on their handhelds and for the most part I fully support the possition, having had a smartphone that ran on pocket PC which incorporates flash I know first hand the trouble it can cause. And exactly why is Apple being investigated for antitrust violations for this anyway, sure perhaps I can see it if every other phone and handheld had flash but only a few of them do, in addition their doesn't appear to be any plans to remove/ban flash from mac computers. It seems like apple is being picked on because their mobile device lineup is slightly ahead of its time.

 

[Richard Hannay]

Apple should not screw the company that made them dominant in the graphics business. Though apple computers are more expensive and completely propriety the industry uses more frequently. Adobe brought apple to glory.

This. Adobe may not necessarily be the hand that feeds Apple right now, but it sure as hell used to be, and I can't see how it benefits Apple to bite that hand now.

EDIT: But apparently there's a letter that'll spell it out for me. I don't suppose you have a link handy, Mr. Sullivan?

 

[Twitchie]

Man, it would be totally ironic if Adobe turned around and went, oops, I guess we cannot develop for Mac systems now, sorry guys... tee hee.

Steve needs to get that stick out of his *** and get a life outside of professionally screwing their customers.