On Wednesday, the U.S. House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee completed its antitrust investigation into the business practices of Apple, Facebook, Google, and Amazon, comparing the companies to “oil barons and railroad tycoons.” (In case you were wondering, that’s not a good thing.)
Apple has offered a statement (via MacRumors), in which it says it “vehemently” disagrees with the conclusions reached by the committee in respect to the Cupertino iPhone maker. Apple says it does not hold a dominant market share in categories where it does business.
We have always said that scrutiny is reasonable and appropriate but we vehemently disagree with the conclusions reached in this staff report with respect to Apple. Our company does not have a dominant market share in any category where we do business. From its beginnings 12 years ago with just 500 apps, we’ve built the App Store to be a safe and trusted place for users to discover and download apps and a supportive way for developers to create and sell apps globally. Hosting close to two million apps today, the App Store has delivered on that promise and met the highest standards for privacy, security and quality. The App Store has enabled new markets, new services and new products that were unimaginable a dozen years ago, and developers have been primary beneficiaries of this ecosystem. Last year in the United States alone, the App Store facilitated $138 billion in commerce with over 85% of that amount accruing solely to third-party developers. Apple’s commission rates are firmly in the mainstream of those charged by other app stores and gaming marketplaces. Competition drives innovation, and innovation has always defined us at Apple. We work tirelessly to deliver the best products to our customers, with safety and privacy at their core, and we will continue to do so.
Apple will provide a more in-depth refutation of the report and its allegations in the near future.
The full 450-page report [PDF] featured a number of recommendations for future antitrust laws and practices that will impact Apple, Facebook, Google, and Amazon if they are adopted.