Apple’s policies on the tracking of third-party apps have come under investigation by Germany’s cartel office, which is investigating whether the rules give the company preferential treatment or hinder competitors, specifically within its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework, according to Reuters.
A spokesperson for Apple stated to Reuters that ATT does not prevent companies from showing ads and allows users to control their privacy. The spokesperson also stated that Apple will work with the cartel office to resolve any issues and discuss its approach to tracking.
Andreas Mundt, president of the Bundeskartellamt said, “We welcome business models which use data carefully and give users choice as to how their data are used. A corporation like Apple which is in a position to unilaterally set rules for its ecosystem, in particular for its app store, should make pro-competitive rules. We have reason to doubt that this is the case when we see that Apple’s rules apply to third parties, but not to Apple itself. This would allow Apple to give preference to its own offers or impede other companies.”
The cartel office also opened proceedings against Google earlier in January this year, and is considering launching cases against Facebook and Amazon. Meanwhile, Apple and Google are similarly under investigation by the UK’s competition regulator for their holds over browsers and cloud gaming.
Last month, Apple lost its bid to dismiss a lawsuit by rival app store Cydia, who accused have accused the company of holding an unlawful monopoly on software distribution.
This article was originally published on PocketGamer.biz.
Steve is an award-winning editor and copywriter with more than 20 years’ experience specialising in consumer technology and video games. With a career spanning from the first PlayStation to the latest in VR, he's proud to be a lifelong gamer.
