“Economy Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne asked the country’s competition watchdog to review whether Apple abused its dominant position after several Belgian and Dutch editors were notified about the US company’s policy,” AFP reports. “A recent document from Apple ‘indicates that from now on, iPad subscriptions will only be sold via iTunes,’ the minister’s office said in a statement.”
AFP reports, “Apple takes 30 percent of the revenue from sales of newspaper and magazine subscriptions through iTunes, the ministry said… Belgium could launch a formal investigation if the review spots any problems with the policy, the ministry said, warning it could also transfer the case to the European Union’s competition watchdog.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: We’ve been through all of this with iPod+iTunes Store ad infinitum. So, once again: If publishers don’t like it, they can sell their publications to users of other tablets. If consumers don’t like it, they’re welcome to purchase some other tablet. Apple has the right to operate their platform as they see fit, since, after all, Apple created and maintains it. iOS apps are intended to go through the iTunes App Store. Period. Furthermore, iPads do not require the iTunes App Store to operate. The iTunes App Store does not require iPads to operate. Therefore, there is no tying and, obviously, there is no monopoly, so there can be no abuse.
For more on “tying” or lack thereof, read this and substitute “iPad” for “iPod” and “App Store” for “Music Store”: Enjoying Apple’s iTunes and iTunes Music Store without owning an iPod – May 11, 2005