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Apple under DoJ investigation

by on26 May 2010

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Not sure about how you do music


The Jobs Mob
is under investigation from the Department of Justice over the way it has conducted itself in the music business.

The agency's antitrust staff have been ringing up the music labels and Internet music startups about Apple. So far there has not been a formal investigation, and are part of a routine attempt to learn if there is any truth to allegations whether Apple stifles other business activity with its iTunes operations.

The DoJ is very interested in the iTunes pricing practices. Word on the street is that this is in addiction to another investigation over whether or not Apple has tried to persuade music labels to not give rival Amazon.com exclusive access to soon-to-be released music.  This was discovered in March by the  music-trade magazine Billboard.

It is also an addition to another investigation as to recent changes that Apple made to its licensing agreement with iPhone application developers to shut out Flash. The DoJ and the Federal Trade Commission are working out who has dibs on that one.

It is also not the first time that regulators have looked at Apple. Last year, the FTC investigated whether Apple sharing directors with other companies violated antitrust laws. That triggered Google CEO Eric Schmidt's resignation from Apple's board.
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