antitrust

Apple CEO will testify in e-books case, judge says

Apple CEO Tim Cook will testify as part of the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust case against Apple, a judge ruled today.

Cook, who became Apple's CEO in August 2011, will be required to engage in four hours of testimony per a ruling by U.S. District Judge Denise Cote in Manhattan today, Reuters reports.

Apple had attempted to prevent Cook's involvement, arguing that the Justice Department already had access to nearly a dozen of its executives as part of the case.

In April 2012, the Justice Department sued Apple, along with five of the six … Read more

Notes on Steve Jobs shelved in e-books antitrust case

The notes from biographer Walter Isaacson's numerous interviews with Apple co-founder Steve Jobs will not be used as evidence in the Department of Justice's antitrust case against Apple.

That decision, made last week and reported earlier today by PaidContent, means that Isaacson will not have to testify either.

Isaacson is the author of "Steve Jobs," a book that chronicled the life of Jobs, based on interviews with the then-CEO of Apple, as well as his friends, family, colleagues, and rivals. It was published by Simon & Schuster (owned by CBS, parent company of CNET) weeks after … Read more

EU close to fining Microsoft, says report

The clock is ticking on Microsoft. Reuters is reporting today that regulators in Europe intend to levy a potentially hefty fine on the software company in connection with a long-running antitrust case.

Quoting a couple of people described as being "familiar with the matter," Reuters says the fine might be "significant."

Microsoft has been in hot water with the European Commission for some time. Last fall, regulators said the company reneged on a 2009 promise to give Windows consumers more choice among rival Internet browsers. The latest bit of upset has to do with Microsoft's … Read more

Amazon in antitrust crosshairs over Marketplace price rules

Amazon's in a bit of trouble in Germany.

The country's Federal Cartel Office (FCO) announced yesterday that it's launching an antitrust investigation against Amazon to determine if the e-commerce company is unfairly treating third-party merchants that sell their products through its Marketplace platform.

According to BBC, which spoke with FCO chief Andreas Mundt, the organization is specifically trying to determine whether a clause that Amazon places on merchants limiting them from offering a product they sell through Marketplace at a cheaper price on competing sites, violates the country's antitrust clauses.

"This is particularly the case … Read more

Ruling means AT&T can sue LCD makers over alleged price-fixing

AT&T's claims in a lawsuit over price-fixing LCD displays have been partially reinstated by the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco.

Yesterday, AT&T won the right to have its claims reinstated based on Californian law and the purchase of panels made outside of the state, which reverses a previous, lower-court judgement that dismissed AT&T's allegations. The U.S. phone carrier is now able to sue companies including Taiwanese AU Optronics Corporation and South Korean firm Samsung Display Co., a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics.

In July, Toshiba, LG Display … Read more

FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz resigns

Jon Leibowitz announced today that he is resigning from his post as the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission. His announcement comes after presiding over both the investigation and settlement of Google's antitrust probe.

Leibowitz plans to leave his position by mid-February, according to The New York Times.

"I felt like this was a good time to leave because we got through a number of things that I wanted the commission to address," he told the newspaper.

President Obama appointed Leibowitz, who was formerly an FTC commissioner, to lead the agency in 2009. Leibowitz was said to … Read more

Google hands settlement proposal to EU on antitrust -- report

Google was expected to submit a settlement proposal for the European Commission's antitrust inquiry by the end of January. And, it looks like the Web giant just made the deadline.

According to AllThingsD, sources familiar with the matter said Google turned in a detailed proposal earlier today. However neither Google nor the EC are confirming whether a settlement proposal was definitively submitted.

When asked about the settlement offer, a Google representative told CNET, "We continue to work cooperatively with the European Commission." The EC's press office has not yet responded to CNET's request for comment.… Read more

EU still unhappy with how Google shows search results

Google will have to change the way it presents its own services in its search results if it wants to avoid antitrust charges in the European Union, according to comments made by EU antitrust chief Joaquín Almunia.

Almunia, the EU's competition commissioner, told the Financial Times (subscription required): "We are still investigating, but my conviction is [Google is] diverting traffic" to in-house services such as maps, comparison-shopping info, and flight details. "They are monetizing this kind of business, the strong position they have in the general search market, and this is not only a … Read more

Senator blasts leaks in FTC's Google investigation

LAS VEGAS -- A U.S. senator today blasted leaks from the Federal Trade Commission during its antitrust pursuit of Google, saying he intends to find out who was responsible for the disclosures.

"I'm determined to get to the bottom of this," Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat with a

Last week, the FTC said it had finished its investigation -- which had been encouraged by Microsoft and other rivals -- into possible unlawful activities by Google and had decided against filing a lawsuit.

"All parties deserve to know that there's not that kind of … Read more

Watchdog seeks FTC staff opinion on Google antitrust case

Consumer Watchdog, a group that's accused Google of antitrust misconduct, is trying to find out why the FTC's investigation into the subject resulted in only mild punishment.

The group requested the Federal Trade Commission release its staff's report to detail the situation, according to a letter Consumer Watchdog sent to the commissioners (PDF). The agency's staff prepare such reports then forward them to the five commissioners who vote on what course of action to take.

"I call on you to release the FTC staff report to help make clear what was behind the commission's … Read more