The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has subpoenaed Apple to give the details of its iPhone search deal with Google. The request is a result of the Google antitrust probe the FTC is currently conducting. Apple has been required to reveal the agreements it made to make Google the preferred search engine on the iPhone.
With Google creating services like Google+ that compete with the likes of Facebook, the FTC decided to start investigating the search giant’s business practices in June of last year to determine if there was an antitrust issue. As of today, Apple’s deal with Google will also be questioned to see if Google is unfairly leveraging its position in the internet search market.
Given Apple’s rocky relationship with Google, the results of this subpoena will definitely be interesting. It was recently discovered that Apple is beginning to divorce itself from Google Maps, and the two companies could part ways entirely by 2013.
[via Bloomberg]
Alex Heath is a journalist who works for Tech Insider. He’s the former co-host of The CultCast. He has been quoted by the likes of the BBC, KRON 4 News, and books like “ICONIC: A Photographic Tribute to Apple Innovation.” He lives in Lexington, Kentucky. If you want to pitch a story, share a tip, or just get in touch, additional contact information is available on his personal site. Follow him on Twitter.
