Apple is the only manufacturer of mobile terminals that imposes on mobile phone operators the conditions under which they can sell smartphones, and its way of doing business is now being investigated for possible unfair competition. The Canadian Competition Authority is investigating the contracts concluded between Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), and the local mobile phone operators after unidentified sources complained about the irregularities in the documents imposed by those from Cupertino for signing.
Canada's Competition Bureau is investigating allegations that Apple Inc's Canadian unit used anti-competitive clauses in contracts with domestic wireless carriers, the watchdog said on Thursday. The bureau said no wrongdoing by Apple's Canadian arm has been found so far, without stating who made the allegations. An Apple spokeswoman was not immediately available for comment. The bureau this week sought a court order to compel Apple to turn over records relating to the ongoing investigation.
According to this source unidentified, the contracts concluded between Apple and mobile phone operators in Canada contain provisions that contravene fair competition legislation, but of course there is currently no evidence to support the accusations. In this idea, the Competition Bureau of Canada initiated a process by which it asks a local court to require by a court order the operators or the Apple company to provide copies of the contracts for examination.
If it will be discovered that Apple has really violated the fair competition legislation through the contracts imposed on mobile phone operators, then the antitrust authorities could fine the American company. Unfortunately, Apple's strategy is not limited to Canada or the USA, where it has already opened a similar process, it is practiced all over the world, including in Romania, and the mobile phone operators are far from satisfied with the conditions imposed by those from Cupertino.
