Apple seems to have found an ally it its quest to ban Android from stores and force people to buy tablets.

According to the Wall Street Journal Federal Trade Commission officials are focusing their antitrust investigation on several key areas of Google's business, including its Android mobile phone software and web search related services. They also have been asking around if  Google favours its own products, such as Google's "Places" business listings, its "Shopping results" and Google Finance services.

Investigators have been asking if Google is restricting the use of rivals' services on mobile devices using its widely used operating system, Android. Recently Skyhook Wireless sued Google for using its market power to pressure smartphone makers into dropping Skyhook's location-sensing technology in favour of Google's own, competing service.

The FTC have been listening to world on the street about the growing influence of Android and how it may be helping Google maintain its lead in Web search. Google's search engine is the default for many phones built using Android. If the FTC says that Google must abandon Android it could lead the field clear for proprietary software outfits like Apple and Microsoft to rule the roost.

More here.