FTC continues probe of Google-Apple tie-ups

This was originally published at ZDNet's Between the Lines.

Google CEO Eric Schmidt has resigned from Apple's board but that won't be enough to curtail a probe by the Federal Trade Commission.

In a terse statement, FTC bureau of competition director Richard Feinstein said:

We have been investigating the Google/Apple interlocking directorates issue for some time and commend them for recognizing that sharing directors raises competitive issues, as Google and Apple increasingly compete with each other. We will continue to investigate remaining interlocking directorates between the companies.

Reuters reports that Schmidt's resignation would usually close an FTC investigation of interlocking boards. However, former Genentech CEO Arthur Levinson is on the boards of Apple and Google.

It's likely Levinson will be forced to pick one of the companies.

[myles taylor]

I think they're just bored really. They need to stop looking at all this crap and being such a watchdog. They're taking the whole protection of the consumer and stopping monopolies way too far.

[J5Chicago]

@myles... A. you can never go to far when protecting consumer rights especially in an industry that has very little regulation to begin with. B. this is so much more than it seems. this has ramifications far beyond silly little apps and bored FTC directors. this could open the door to consumers having options as to what they can put on their handsets. I for one would love to make all of the NA Carriers fast dumb pipes so that we could do more on the go. essentially i would prefer that a cellular network operated more like the internet and your handset operated more like a computer. just think of the possibilities. think of all you could do. if this is the first step in that direction, then i welcome it.

[Vegaman_Dan]

@Myles Taylor:


This is the FTC's job. They are doing what they are supposed to be doing. Doesn't matter if it is popular with the geek community or not.

[MaggieRed]

I hope they get something resolved. There is no reason Apple should be forcing us when using Safari on the laptop/desktop or Safari on the iPhone and are forced to use Google.

There is a modifier on the market to remove Google and replace with Inquisitor a search engine of Yahoo. But it is horrible. Just as well iPhone lets you choose from Google or Yahoo. Again more of the same.

We should be able to go into preferences and set whatever type of search engine that is available.

After all this crap with MS, now we have Apple cramming Google down our throats, and yet they "sometimes" consider them competition. That makes little sense.

In my opinion Google needs to be throttled. An Apple needs to understand we don't want to be forced, until this quiet relationship emerged between Apple and Google, this was never an issue. So yes it needs further investigations.

[BogusBasin]

On the iPhone:

Settings --> Safari-->Search Engine-->Google or Yahoo

Don't have my iBook with me so can't help you there. Try Googling it.

Amen

[MaggieRed]

Amazing reading is fundamental.

I stated your choices with the iPhone, I also stated that you can use a modifier on installed Safari. But each update removes that modifier.

That's like Microsoft clearing what the court ordered as changes upon each service pack. Not that any court order Apple to do anything, up to this point Apple has always been about openness.

[Hunnter2k3]

Oh yes, FTC, as always, picking on (the wrong) companies.
Gotta love those guys! Keep up the awesome work!
How's that bribe from Microsoft going? Oh a swimming pool you say? A mansion too? For every employee?
/troll

But seriously, this is just nonsense.
Wasting money, wasting money, wasting money, oh, and wasting money.
They seem to be going down the usual route of "policing" agencies, attacking the low-hanging fruit to make everyone think they are doing work while being "paid off by larger criminals, off-the-record".

At least the EU are trying to do something, oh, and what is that i hear, too harsh you say?
Sure doesn't seem harsh considering they are now pulling back after they scared Microsoft in to offering some choice for browsers. (even if IE will be first in the list)*

Also, let's not even mention the whole iPhone thing, t'appears people are just rolling eyes with that one.


* I don't know why Microsoft never split up into an OS and Software division, it would have solved so many headaches and they could have continued their whole monopoly thing that they done.
But considering we still haven't got a decent package manager for Windows, maybe not...

[viper396]

Do you have any factual evidence to back up you accusations or are you just talking out of that hole in your rear end? It's obvious you have an 'I hate Microsoft agenda' which clouds your objectivity. Going so far has to tie your inability to use Package Manager on a 10 year old monolopy judgement is just juvenile. Your entire comment lacks merit.

[Random_Walk]

*shrug* - if they are as effectual now as they were during the 1990's, I doubt Apple has too much to worry about...

[Maelstorm]

I find it suprising that Arthur is still on both boards. He should be made to leave one of the boards for this very reason. I've been following the Apple and Google Voice thing since the story broke Friday. With that in mind, I can see why Eric bailed from Apple's board. His statement saying that Google and Apple are still friends is a load of bull, especially when you consider that Google is offering members of the military priority Google Voice accounts...That could be misconstrued as Apple is not friendly to the military when you have *several* federal regulatory agencies poking around asking questions, and some hard questions at that.

AT&T for their part has announced that they do not have any involvement what-so-ever in the acceptance or rejection of iPhone store applications. And now Apple is trying to silence the developers on rejected applications by attaching a NDA notice to the rejection letters? Bad enough you are already hamstrung with the iPhone SDK, but now if your application gets rejected you can't talk about it? And they can arbitrarilly pull an application from the store that was approved with no notice?

There is a story floating around about someone who has a application on the store that was pulled, now he is having to give refunds. Since Apple will not refund their 30% cut from the original purchase, the developer must refund the full price. So if I sell an application for $100, Apple get $30 of that, and I get 70$. If the customer demands a refund, Apple keeps the $30, and I have to refund the full $100 even though I got only $70 from it. If it was a popular application, that could drive someone into bankruptcy.

Sorry, I will have nothing to do with Apple, their products, their development, or Steve Jobs. Apple is giving the appearance that they are *very* hostile towards their developers. So much so in that they are making Microsoft look friendly. I think it's about time that Apple had an attitude adjustment in the form of a federal agency delivering a well deserved smack down to Apple.

So if the rabid Apple fans boys and girls who have nothing better to do than kiss Steve Job's backside want to pay exorbant prices for the privilage of having him lead them around by their nose, then more power to them. Those fan boys and girls can reply to this if they want to, but their comments will be taken with the same value that they themselves are worth: NOTHING

Let the flaming begin.