[opendtv] Apple could face antitrust probe over Flash
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 5 May 2010 09:55:22 -0500
I also have a hard time understanding how "antitrust" might apply here. More
like, an overbearing attitude at Apple. There's no law against being
overbearing. As always, the fault is with the customer base. Show Apple how you
dislike their decision by not buying the damned thing. Stop being such wusses.
Bert
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http://www.rethink-wireless.com/2010/05/05/apple-face-antitrust-probe-flash.htm
Apple could face antitrust probe over Flash
Despite user anger over Adobe's exile, is there really a case to answer?
By CAROLINE GABRIEL
Published: 5 May, 2010
It's not just Google facing antitrust probes - its arch-rival Apple could face
a federal investigation over its decision to ban tools that use third party
compilers, notably Adobe Flash, from the iPhone and iPad.
Citing unnamed sources, The New York Post reported that the Department of
Justice and Federal Trade Commission are currently discussing which agency
should lead an antitrust enquiry - which would determine whether a full fledged
investigation were necessary. If so, Apple would be required to submit
information on its decision to change its developer rules in order to bar
cross-compiler tools, seen mainly as a swipe against Adobe.
The new iPhone developer license agreement, updated last month to coincide with
the launch of iPhone OS 4.0, says: "Applications may only use Documented APIs
in the manner prescribed by Apple and must not use or call any private APIs.
Applications must be originally written in Objective-C, C, C++, or JavaScript
as executed by the iPhone OS WebKit engine, and only code written in C, C++,
and Objective-C may compile and directly link against the Documented APIs (eg
applications that link to Documented APIs through an intermediary translation
or compatibility layer or tool are prohibited)."
Adobe subsequently ended work on iPhone versions of Flash, and made a
wholehearted commitment to Android and its Nokia alliance. It has not, as yet,
taken any legal action of its own though would clearly be a key witness in any
antitrust probe.
Many users and developers are frustrated by the lack of support for Flash and
the sites it enables, such as YouTube - even though, in the medium term, the
world is moving towards native browser technologies rather than plug-ins like
Adobe's. Despite the anger with Apple's stance against Flash, many question
whether this really is an antitrust issue, since there are plenty of developer
platforms and smartphones - and there will be plenty of tablets - that do
support Flash, and provide good alternatives to Apple products. Forcing a firm
that is not in a monopoly position - Apple has about 25% smartphone share in
the US and 16% globally - to support third party intermediary layers could set
a difficult precedent. Apple's move has certainly disadvantaged Adobe, but
arguably Flash has a more entrenched position in mobile than Apple, and this is
a competitive issue, for the smaller company to address via commercial strategy
and/or the law courts.
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