Apple may face DOJ antitrust complaint against AirTags
Apple may be facing an antitrust lawsuit by the US Department of Justice – but this time focusing on AirTags and its other hardware. Source told Politico that DOJ attorneys are in the infancy of drafting an antitrust complaint against the tech giant. While these sources suggest that the DOJ has an interest in Apple hardware, there is no guarantee that the agency will follow through with a lawsuit at this point.
DOJ started investigating iPhone maker in 2019, as part of larger government antitrust probe into Big Tech. So far, the agency has mainly focused on hold tight of the App Store and the developer payment system. According to the report, the potential new suit could go further and fix years of public complaints about tracking the Tile device maker via Apple’s AirTags.
AirTags use Apple’s Find My network and ultra-wideband technology to locate devices, often much more accurately than Tile’s first-style Bluetooth-enabled trackers. In testimony Before Congress, Tile alleged that Apple intentionally disadvantaged Tile on iOS devices by shutting down the Find My network. The ultimate tech giant open Find my network for third-party devices last year for location tracking, though condition and restrictions that could lead to companies like Tile abandoning their software ecosystem in favor of Apple. Incidentally, this is a bargain that Tile didn’t pick up. Engadget has reached out to Apple and the DOJ for comment and will update if we receive a response.
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