Apple Antitrust Suit – What Took So Long?
Written by Alan Tuesday, 4 May 2010 08:00
Once again I would like to use this platform for a little editorial comment. Today the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission will begin an antitrust inquiry into Apple’s new policy of requiring software developers who develop apps for the iPhone and iPad to use Apple’s software development tools exclusively, thereby making cross-platform development difficult, at best.
For years Apple has flown beneath the radar of US and EU organizations. While Microsoft fought it’s antitrust battles over including Internet Explorer as a part of Windows, Apple happily continued to ship Safari as the only browser with it’s OS. While MP3 player manufacturers allowed any music on their players, Apple allowed only iTunes purchases to be loaded on it’s iPod.
For quite some time Apple has ruled with an iron first over what apps are included in their app store and which are rejected. Sometimes using clearly anti-competitive behavior to disallow certain apps that would compete with Apple products.
I expected the FTC to call “enough” some time ago, but it seems it took until this latest move to finally push them over the edge. There are many tools that allow developers to craft their apps to run on both iPhone and Android, but when Apple recently announced that it would reject any app developed via these cross-platform methods they apparently finally stepped over the line.
Don’t get me wrong. I am not an Apple hater. They make beautiful, intuitive devices. But I don’t use them simply because I don’t want to locked into their universe where Steve Jobs tells me what I can and can’t use. Contrary to his belief, he doesn’t know what’s best for me and my family. When Apple opens these platforms then I look forward to using their products.
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