Why exactly is Bill Barr investigating Apple?

June 4, 2019 by Steven M. Peters

The U.S. Attorney General must have his reasons.

 

From Reuters: Exclusive: U.S. Justice Department considering Apple probe

The U.S. Justice Department has jurisdiction for a potential probe of Apple Inc as part of a broader review of whether technology giants are using their size to act in an anti-competitive manner, two sources told Reuters.

The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) met in recent weeks and agreed to give the Justice Department the jurisdiction to undertake potential antitrust probes of Apple and Google, owned by Alphabet Inc, the sources said.

The FTC was given jurisdiction to look at Amazon.com Inc and Facebook Inc, the sources said.

The sources did not say what the government’s potential concern might be regarding Apple. (emphasis mine)

My take: Why am I not surprised? This wouldn’t be the first time the DOJ has gone after the wrong target.

See also: From Yale: How Apple v. Amazon was misjudged

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