Senate to call Spotify, Tile witnesses at app store antitrust hearing
Top legal officials from Spotify, Match, and Tile will speak at an upcoming Senate antitrust hearing examining the Apple and Google app stores.
Credit: James Yarema/Unsplash
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights plans to call Horacio Gutierrez, Kirsten Daru, and Jared Sine, top legal officials from Spotify, Tile, and Match Group, respectively. The hearing is slated for Wednesday, April 21.
In addition to the witnesses from Spotify, Tile, and Match, Google's Wilson White, senior director of Government Affairs and Public Policy, will join Apple's Chief Compliance Officer Kyle Andeer in the spotlight at the hearing, Bloomberg reported Monday.
Spotify, Tile, and Match Group have all voiced concerns about Apple's App Store policies. Spotify, for example, claims that Apple favors its own Apple Music platform across its ecosystem, while Tile believes that Apple's Find My app could give its rumored "AirTags" tracking devices an advantage over third-party competitors.
The Senate subcommittee is investigating Apple and Google over antitrust issues and allegations of anti-competitive behavior.
Apple initially decided to skip the Senate hearing, drawing ire from lawmakers. A few days after the Senate penned a letter urging the company to reconsider its decision, Apple confirmed that Andeer would testify.
The chair of the Senate subcommittee, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), in March signaled plans to hold multiple hearings on technology-related topics, including app stores.
Credit: James Yarema/Unsplash
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights plans to call Horacio Gutierrez, Kirsten Daru, and Jared Sine, top legal officials from Spotify, Tile, and Match Group, respectively. The hearing is slated for Wednesday, April 21.
In addition to the witnesses from Spotify, Tile, and Match, Google's Wilson White, senior director of Government Affairs and Public Policy, will join Apple's Chief Compliance Officer Kyle Andeer in the spotlight at the hearing, Bloomberg reported Monday.
Spotify, Tile, and Match Group have all voiced concerns about Apple's App Store policies. Spotify, for example, claims that Apple favors its own Apple Music platform across its ecosystem, while Tile believes that Apple's Find My app could give its rumored "AirTags" tracking devices an advantage over third-party competitors.
The Senate subcommittee is investigating Apple and Google over antitrust issues and allegations of anti-competitive behavior.
Apple initially decided to skip the Senate hearing, drawing ire from lawmakers. A few days after the Senate penned a letter urging the company to reconsider its decision, Apple confirmed that Andeer would testify.
The chair of the Senate subcommittee, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), in March signaled plans to hold multiple hearings on technology-related topics, including app stores.
Comments
Politicians doing what politicians do best came out with a strawman statement, claiming that Apple declined and how horrible Apple are for declining.
So go ahead, government, do it! Let’s see how it goes.
Of course, as you say, that will ruin everything Apple has provided for the million developers who don't have the money to build their own store. It will also effectively shut Apple down, which some members of Congress want.
Perhaps just a reading of public forums like this (with very definite views) would be enlightening.
Might as well ask for a pink polo pony while I'm dreaming.
If they really cared about consumers, they'd stop taking campaign money from businesses, and stop promoting monopolies.
Why did people leave Blackberry for Apple, if Apple is so abusive?
How is this any different than Pepsi and Coca Cola having to compete with Lucky own brand of Sunny Select soda? In the same store and on the same shelf. Lucky own brand of sodas goes for $.99/2 liters , while Pepsi and Coca Cola brands goes for $1.99/2 liters.
Or Kirkland batteries at Costco?
Or Walmart own brand, in a Walmart?
Or Walgreens own brand, in a Walgreens?
Why can't I order a Coke in a KFC or Taco Bell? Could it be that KFC and Taco Bell are own by Yum? And Yum was once a subsidiary of PepsiCo, Inc., so they are still contracted to sell only Pepsi brand sodas in their diners?
Can Microsoft demand that Apple Stores carry their "Surface" (without any form of compensation), because Apple Stores seems to have a monopoly share of the computer shoppers in any of the shopping malls they're located? Could the government force the mall owner to allow Microsoft to open up a Microsoft Store, rent free? So to "level the playing field"?
So long as iOS is not a monopoly in the market place, Apple can favor their own brand in an ecosystem that they created and maintain, for the purpose of attracting consumers to buy iDevices. Just like how Lucky, Costco, Walmart and Walgreen price their own brands, to attract customers into their stores.