Department of Justice and FTC Looking Into Beeper iMessage Controversy

[MacRumors]

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are intensifying their investigations into Apple's alleged anti-competitive practices following the recent blocking of the iMessage for Android app Beeper Mini, the New York Times reports.

Following calls from a bipartisan group of senators for a DOJ investigation into the matter, Beeper founder Eric Migicovsky reportedly met with DOJ antitrust lawyers on Tuesday, December 12. The DOJ is currently embroiled in a four-year-long investigation into Apple's alleged anticompetitive conduct.

The New York Times also suggested that the FTC is involved, pointing to a blog post published yesterday by the commission warning that it will evaluate "privacy and security" justifications for refusing to interoperate with other companies' technology:

In the face of concerns about anticompetitive conduct, companies may claim privacy and security reasons as justifications for refusing to have their products and services interoperate with other companies' products and services. As an agency that enforces both competition and consumer protection laws, the Commission is uniquely situated to evaluate claims of privacy and data security that implicate competition.

Beeper launched Beeper Mini earlier this month, aiming to bridge the gap between Android and iMessage. Apple quickly moved to shut down the app, citing security concerns and unauthorized access to its iMessage servers.

Despite multiple attempts by Beeper to circumvent Apple's restrictions, the company has now effectively admitted defeat, touting jailbroken iPhones as the final solution to keep the service up and running amid an acknowledgement of the unsustainable nature of its efforts. While Apple has consistently defended its actions as necessary for maintaining user security and the integrity of its services, increased attention from two major regulatory bodies indicates the seriousness of ongoing antitrust allegations against the company.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: Department of Justice and FTC Looking Into Beeper iMessage Controversy

 

[toobravetosave]

But…Apple is above the law of man 🥺

 

[Spaceboi Scaphandre]

Yeah nothing's gonna come of this. The FTC has been a joke under Lina Khan as evident from how they fumbled the Apple vs Epic appeal, fumbled blocking Meta's acquisition of VR fitness app Supernatural, and fumbled tremendously at trying to stop Microsoft from buying Activision. She has no legal grounds and has been just wasting bureau funds on lawsuits on Big Tech just to have those cases on her resume, even if they're big failures.

 

[gleepskip]

I have an idea. Lets bring in the corrupt bureaucrats with no understanding of technology to resolve this. Brilliant!

 

[contacos]

Almost seems like a government backed Trojan horse to have a „real“ example to back up their investigation in the future and a way to introduce a backdoor down the lines

#conspiracy

 

[ThailandToo]

Apple acts like a grade-school bully. In the end, I think Apple’s anticompetitive behavior will end up leading to parts of it being broken up. Remember when Microsoft was split up over browser influence? Companies have been allowed to grow into these giant anticompetitive forces now that destroy all competition, steal IP and even steal from its own developers! Really want Apple to be investigated and things to change.

It would be better for all of us. I love a lot of Apple things, but I hate the ecosystem that acts like a monopoly. And the vertical integration of the entire pipeline looks like a monopoly.

My perfect iPhone would be a Galaxy Ultra operating on an A17 Pro with iOS running.

My perfect computer would be an iPad running MacOS or a Thinkpad running MacOS. I don’t think companies should be forced to sell other companies products but I do think the vast size of Apple is good for nobody except maybe Tim and the top 1% of shareholders.

If Apple was split into six or seven companies, they would all be better. And interoperability would be a feature among all devices. Instead of a walled garden approach. It’s sticky as investors say, but it’s also anticompetitive. Investors will keep investing in these companies with monopolistic practices until someone puts an end to it. Build it all in America and then it at least builds up our economy. But there is just no advantage right now to allowing one company to control so much.

 

[I7guy]

I hope they are also looking into charging the beeper ceo for unauthorized access. Companies think they can freeload and get to use apples customers and infrastructure.

Hopefully this plays out with beeper being on the wrong side of the law.

Hopefully the American people come to their collective senses and vote these anti-corporate politicians out of office.

 

[cocky jeremy]

Apple acts like a grade-school bully. In the end, I think Apple’s anticompetitive behavior will end up leading to parts of it being broken up. Remember when Microsoft was split up over browser influence? Companies have been allowed to grow into these giant anticompetitive forces now that destroy all competition, steal IP and even steal from its own developers! Really want Apple to be investigated and things to change.

It would be better for all of us. I love a lot of Apple things, but I hate the ecosystem that acts like a monopoly. And the vertical integration of the entire pipeline looks like a monopoly.

My perfect iPhone would be a Galaxy Ultra operating on an A17 Pro with iOS running.

My perfect computer would be an iPad running MacOS or a Thinkpad running MacOS. I don’t think companies should be forced to sell other companies products but I do think the vast size of Apple is good for nobody except maybe Tim and the top 1% of shareholders.

If Apple was split into six or seven companies, they would all be better. And interoperability would be a feature among all devices. Instead of a walled garden approach. It’s sticky as investors say, but it’s also anticompetitive. Investors will keep investing in these companies with monopolistic practices until someone puts an end to it. Build it all in America and then it at least builds up our economy. But there is just no advantage right now to allowing one company to control so much.

There's nothing anticompetitive about keeping their work on their devices only. Other texting apps exist on iOS. Apple allows that. They aren't allowing others to use THEIR work.

 

[HiVolt]

I really don't get it. these guys are trying to use a private company's services without authorization or payment, and are throwing a fit?

 

[Ludatyk]

For those who are on the side of Apple and wants to keep iMessage on their iPhones... need to understand that allowing iMessage on Android benefits you (shocker!).

You won't have to be concerned about "oh, they have an Android... I don't care to message them." Look at the data from teenagers and especially in the dating world. It removes that barrier. And I know you might be wondering... well, there's plenty of other messaging platforms to exchange messages with for Android users.

But the issue is that most iPhone users IN THE US... gravitate toward iMessage. If we (in the states) can agree to move to a cross-platform messaging app... this whole situation would be mute.

 

[cocky jeremy]

For those who are on the side of Apple and wants to keep iMessage on their iPhones... need to understand that allowing iMessage on Android benefits you (shocker!).

You won't have to be concerned about "oh, they have an Android... I don't care to message them." Look at the data from teenagers and especially in the dating world. It removes that barrier. And I know you might be wondering... well, there's plenty of other messaging platforms to exchange messages with for Android users.

But the issue is that most iPhone users IN THE US... gravitate toward iMessage. If we (in the states) can agree to move to a cross-platform messaging app... this whole situation would be mute.

That's Apple's proprietary system. If they wanted it open to others, it would be. They don't, so it won't be. It's that simple.

 

[cmChimera]

For those who are on the side of Apple and wants to keep iMessage on their iPhones... need to understand that allowing iMessage on Android benefits you (shocker!).

Sure, we can debate if Apple should release iMessage for Android. But there’s very little to debate about whether another company should be able to use Apple’s servers and technology without authorization.

 

[bsbeamer]

It's a blue bubble. Zero reason this should be a Government inquiry.

Apple should release iMessage as an app and require a paid iCloud subscription for those that want to use the service.

 

[CharlesShaw]

I’m going on a hunger strike until this iMessage humanitarian crisis is resolved.

 

[winxmac]

Really now? If Beeper mini sought to license iMessage then that's a different story...

What they actually did was hack/reverse engineered a proprietary system and seemed to be proud having accomplished it...

I'm not from the US however I don't really see a need for government agencies to step in...

 

[mrat93]

We love to see it.

 

[Darrensk8]

There's nothing anticompetitive about keeping their work on their devices only. Other texting apps exist on iOS. Apple allows that. They aren't allowing others to use THEIR work.

I’d hope you are aware the reply seems to be about apples behaviour in general and not the specific Beeper issue

 

[darkpaw]

The end of this seems to be that no company will be allowed to innovate and protect its creations and technologies because some whiny little guy with an app is miffed that he can't make money off someone else's hard work.

Can't wait until I can send a message from my hot tub's display to my Mum's kidney dialysis machine 'cos that's what they want.

 

[segfaultdotorg]

Apple needs to license iMessage to Google for something reasonable and mutually beneficial like $20 per month per handset.

 

[Cheesehead Dave]

This isn't Apple using their size to put another company out of business; this is them stopping someone from trying to backdoor themselves into a proprietary system.

Whatever your opinion of whether Apple should support iMessage on Android or not, going about it this way was never going to work in the end.

 

[Corefile]

Tim Apple needs to have his Android team publish an official iMessages app for that platform. Restricting people who used Android phones from being able to communicate is a form of discrimination.

 

[Ludatyk]

That's Apple's proprietary system. If they wanted it open to others, it would be. They don't, so it won't be. It's that simple.

I completely understand it's Apple's system... no arguing with you.

But you have completely dismissed how much of an influence iMessage has over in the states and that's why the DOJ is looking into it.

Sure, we can debate if Apple should release iMessage for Android. But there’s very little to debate about whether another company should be able to use Apple’s servers and technology without authorization.

Definitely, I agree with you. If Apple does not want another company accessing their servers without permission... then that's a problem.

But it's the chicken and egg situation. If Apple allowed iMessage for Android... then Beeper wouldn't be concerned with doing it.

 

[jimothyGator]

Remember when Microsoft was split up over browser influence?

No, I don't remember that, because it didn't happen. They were found in violation of antitrust laws, reached a partial overturn on appeal, then settled with the DoJ and agreed to implement changes (such as asking users which browser they want to use), but Microsoft was never broken up.

 

[spazzcat]

But…Apple is above the law of man 🥺

What law did they break again? They patch security holes.

 

[darkpaw]

If Apple was split into six or seven companies, they would all be better. And interoperability would be a feature among all devices. Instead of a walled garden approach. It’s sticky as investors say, but it’s also anticompetitive. Investors will keep investing in these companies with monopolistic practices until someone puts an end to it. Build it all in America and then it at least builds up our economy. But there is just no advantage right now to allowing one company to control so much.

Why would interoperability be better between seven different companies? If Apple were broken up, they would be seven separate companies.

Right now an iPad and an iPhone can interoperate - shared clipboard, Handoff etc. You'd be in a worse position than you are right now because Company A making iPads and iPadOS can't know what Company B making iPhones and iOS is going to put into the new version of iOS. Things will very quickly get out of sync, and nothing will work together.

Besides, we're already in that situation. Can I send a message from WhatsApp on my iPhone to Telegram on my Mum's Windows machine? Can my brother send a Signal message to Facebook Messenger? Why not? Because those are different companies, and they've all created their own apps and systems, and why should they be forced to interoperate when their technologies are supposed to be different?

Let's force all car manufacturers to make exactly the same cars. No one should be allowed to pay more for a 'better' car! I want the features of the really excellent, amazing car in my little poot-poot box on wheels! Waaah.

Oh, and "Build it all in America"?! No! Some of it should be built in Iceland, some in Portugal, some in Kenya, some in Brazil, because every country should be allowed to interoperate...