The Federal Cartel Office is initiating proceedings against Apple

After Facebook, Google and Amazon, the Federal Cartel Office has now also initiated proceedings against the iPhone manufacturer Apple under the new regulations for digital companies. As the authority in Bonn announced, it is about examining a cross-market significance. A clue for such a position could be "an ecosystem extending over different markets". Corresponding positions of power are often difficult to attack by other companies, explained the competition watchdog. "We will now examine whether Apple has built a digital ecosystem around the iPhone with the proprietary iOS operating system across several markets," explained the President of the Cartel Office, Andreas Mundt. Apple manufactures tablets, computers and so-called wearables - for example smartwatches - and at the same time sells "a number of device-related services", Mundt explained. In addition to various hardware products from the group, the Services division includes the App Store, iCloud, AppleCare, Apple Music, Apple Arcade, the Apple TV + streaming service and other services. "In addition to the Group's position in these areas, we will also deal with extensive integration across several market levels, the company's technological and financial resources and its access to data," said Mundt. One focus of the investigation will be on the operation of the app store, as it enables Apple in many cases to influence the business activities of third parties. The procedure is based on new rules in competition law that have been in force since January. A central component is the modernization of abuse control - the supervisory authorities can now intervene earlier in the event of violations by large digital corporations and prohibit anti-competitive practices. Investigations against the online network Facebook and in May against the mail order company Amazon and the Internet group Google were most recently initiated. In the case of Apple, the Cartel Office also intends, based on the first case, to "take a closer look" in a possible further case, as the authority further explained.