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Apple under antitrust scrutiny for European iPhone carrier contracts

Published Mar 22nd, 2013 10:15AM EDT
Apple iPhone Europe

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Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone contracts with European wireless carriers are receiving scrutiny from European officials who are probing whether they violate antitrust laws. The New York Times reports that the antitrust probe began after “a group of European wireless carriers recently submitted information about their contracts with Apple to the European Commission.” Unnamed sources tell the Times that Apple’s iPhone contracts for smaller carriers are allegedly stricter than contracts for large carriers, which if true would put the smaller carriers at a significant competitive disadvantage. The European Commission says that it’s merely giving the iPhone contracts some scrutiny and that it hasn’t decided to open up a formal antitrust investigation yet.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.