Apple Facing New Antitrust Investigation

mantis2009 writes "After recent complaints of anti-competitive behavior, the US Department of Justice has opened an inquiry into Apple's business practices for selling music. Investigators have specifically asked whether Apple colluded with record labels to thwart Amazon.com's music download store, according to the ever-present anonymous 'people briefed on the situation.' Allegedly, Apple threatened to retaliate if any music label participated in Amazon's 'MP3 Daily Deal' promotion, which offered early access to some MP3 tracks." So it looks like the Justice Department won the DoJ vs. FTC fight for the regulation bully pulpit.

Comments

Re:Keep hating Microsoft though...

[Microlith]

Apologists for Microsoft always rush to the "bbbbut Apple!" defense but there's a distinct difference here:

- Microsoft held and continues to hold a -de facto- monopoly on desktop operating systems. Were they to revoke OEM pricing for Windows they could easily send a PC manufacturer into unprofitable territory.
- Microsoft did just that over Netscape, BeOS, and likely others to retain their position and push their products.
- They were convicted of this in Federal court.

So as it stands, Microsoft has to play by different rules. The comparisons are not fair.

Unless, perhaps, Apple gains dominance in a market to the point that their denial of services or manipulation of terms would be detrimental to the targeted party unless complied with. At which an investigation could begin and if found to be a monopoly, Apple would have to start playing under those same rules. Chances are this would follow with a trial and if convicted Apple would end up under the government's thumb for some time.

Again, they don't (yet) play under the same rules. Can't pull that argument yet though.

Leave Microsoft alone, and go after the real evil... Apple.

Microsoft would be just as evil as Apple, they just got caught.

Re:Some facts, some figures, and some hypocrisy

[Draek]

So... Amazon got first and only dibs to specific songs, thus restricting competition, and Apple is using monopoly power to tell music distributors not to do that?

Yeah. Since Amazon doesn't hold a controlling share of the digital music market, they're free to do that. Apple isn't.

Kinda how Apple is able to shove their browser and video player down your throat when you install their music player, but Microsoft can't bundle IE with Windows.