Antitrust enforcement agencies in the US are tossing up whether or not to formally investigate Apple’s latest publishing terms for media companiesThe Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission are eyeing Apple after its recent update of its subscription service for apps in its iTunes store that forces media companies to give Apple a 30% cut of app subscriptions.
The recently updated terms are at risk of funnelling the customers of media companies who offer subscriptions through iTunes into the iTunes payment scheme, which could be a potential breach of US antitrust laws, said the Wall Street Journal.
Under Apple’s latest subscription terms, subscription services like magazines and newspapers can offer their own services elsewhere, but any apps on iTunes would not be allowed to link to outside stores.
Publishers, app developers and other media have been in an uproar over the latest controversial move by Apple, with Sony claiming that publishers are being “held to ransom by Apple.”
