U.S. Government Still Considering Antitrust Investigation of Apple's iAd

[djsound]

p.s. Apple is turning into a bunch of goofs. Its funny how they try and brainwash us into thinking ads are going to be 'cool'......and 'interesting'......since when is watching ad a luxury? haha I have never enjoyed watching ads during a tv show I am watching...not even once. Why would it be enjoyable on a phone?

 

[jzuena]

It is universally accepted that a forum thread is dead when people mention Hitler and Jesus (as I remember).

I thought the magic combo was guns and cheese?

 

[ShiftyPig]

It's still apple's product, not the U.S. consumer's or the U.S. government's. Why don't we take this a step further... It is anti-competitive to make aluminum computers because it is going to cause consumers and developers to only use that product because it looks better than plastic. I see very little difference between what the FTC is doing now and that scenario. If the iads make the iPhone experience much worse, I along with many consumers will switch to android. In fact, I can only see apple's decision creating competition, not getting rid of it.

So you're saying that an app.... that a developer makes, tests, sells..... is Apple's product?

You're right in a sense that Apple is creating competition, in the same way as if I were to show up for a race and shoot the guy next to me in the leg once I see that he has a better track record than me. There's still a race, but I rigged it, possibly illegally, in my favor.

 

[skyehill]

Well, no one can say you have an agenda . . .

If wanting Apple to focus on more consumer-centric initiatives is an agenda then sure. Your fanboy-focused agenda is quite clear though...and useless.

 

[NebulaClash]

I'll move quickly. First of all, Apple doesn't own the apps, so your Coke truck analogy is poor. They make the rules, but they do not own the apps. If someone wanted to make an app that opened up and advertised Android, he/she could.

The Admob purchase has nothing to do with anything, besides Apple throwing a tantrum. People (you) say.... well Google doesn't send its info to Apple. Again, your analogy is crap.

You are wrong. My Coke example wasn't an analogy, simply another example where one competitor does not advertise for another competitor. And that is true. The real comparison is that Apple owns iOS, and that is where they are legally allowed to make their rules. If you don't like the rules, use HTML 5 apps to reach your audience. It's your choice.

The AdMob purchase has EVERYTHING to do with the matter. That made them part of Google. The competition.

 

[John.B]

p.s. Apple is turning into a bunch of goofs. Its funny how they try and brainwash us into thinking ads are going to be 'cool'......and 'interesting'......since when is watching ad a luxury? haha I have never enjoyed watching ads during a tv show I am watching...not even once. Why would it be enjoyable on a phone?

So don't click on the ad? Buy (i.e. pay for) apps that are ad-free? The worst part of the existing mobile ads like AdMob is schilling is how they throw you out into a browser and you then have to navigate your way back to where you were to begin with in the app.

 

[hobo.hopkins]

p.s. Apple is turning into a bunch of goofs. Its funny how they try and brainwash us into thinking ads are going to be 'cool'......and 'interesting'......since when is watching ad a luxury? haha I have never enjoyed watching ads during a tv show I am watching...not even once. Why would it be enjoyable on a phone?

Why is that funny? The iAds idea is a good one. They are taking mediocre ads and trying to improve them. I have never purposefully clicked on an in-app ad, but I still love some things about iAds. For instance, accidentally clicking an in-app ad from iAds will no longer remove me from my app. How could people not like that?

 

[Zunjine]

Anger Management

Wow. Just wow. I used to like reading these forums, you know? I don't post often but these forums used to places for discussion. Now I come here and half the time all I see are really angry people getting angry about nothing.

Lets get a few things in perspective shall we?

If you don't like Apple and what Apple does, then fine. Buy something else. I keep hearing how great Android is! Go to it and chill the hell out. There are plenty of things in the world worth getting angry about - this is not one of them. Hell, anyone here talking about how great Google is while bashing Apple as the big bad really needs to step back and look at which of these tech giants is the more dangerous. Google scares me a lot more than Apple does.

Also - why the Israel hate? Off topic at all? Do any of you people bashing Israel have any idea of the nasty little states that the USA has given money to in the past? The anti-democratic regimes that Uncle Sam has helped put in to power? I'm not here to defend the actions of Israel but you guys need to get a sense of historical perspective and ask yourself why you're so angry about Israel and yet know so little about the other far worse examples of American backed regimes.

Next time you feel angry and want to do something about it how about you step away from your computer and put some of that energy in to making the world a better place rather than wagging your dicks on internet forums in a lame attempt to find meaning in your lives. You're not going to find validation at Macrumors. No matter what you do someone will think your an arsehole. I'm sure some of you think I am. You know what? I'm fine with that.

I've said my bit.

 

[robotmonkey]

So you're saying that an app.... that a developer makes, tests, sells..... is Apple's product?

You're right in a sense that Apple is creating competition, in the same way as if I were to show up for a race and shoot the guy next to me in the leg once I see that he has a better track record than me. There's still a race, but I rigged it, possibly illegally, in my favor.

No, I am saying the iPhone and the app market is their product, and developers can either use it with apple's rules and restrictions or not. Is it a problem for OS X to be closed?

 

[NebulaClash]

If wanting Apple to focus on more consumer-centric initiatives is an agenda then sure. Your fanboy-focused agenda is quite clear though...and useless.

Apple is the one being consumer-centric by kicking out companies using analytics to spy on users. I appreciate that stance.

Google has a model of giving you functionality while they spy on what you are doing so they can get better ad analytics. That's hardly more consumer-centric.

 

[John.B]

The AdMob purchase has EVERYTHING to do with the matter. That made them part of Google. The competition.

And pretty nasty competition, based on what I saw from last month's Google I/O conference. I though Google wanted to play hardball...

 

[addicted44]

The real story here is contained in the chart at

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/artic...bbying-spending-for-tech-companies-2010-5.DTL

Lobbying Dollars:

Google - $4mn
Apple - $1.5mn

This is just a preliminary investigation, and nothing will come out of it, since Apple is not doing anything wrong.

However, its hilarious that the Anti-trust guys allowed the largest online advertising company (Google) to buy the largest mobile advertising firm (Admob) because of competition from a non-existent platform (iAd).

Even funnier is that they go around and start investigating the non-existent platform for anti-trust, on the behest of what is now the largest online, as well as mobile advertising firm in the world.

 

[robotmonkey]

If wanting Apple to focus on more consumer-centric initiatives is an agenda then sure. Your fanboy-focused agenda is quite clear though...and useless.

I don't think anybody is saying that they like the idea of iAds, just that there's no way in a supposedly free-market country that the government can tell apple how to manage their products.

 

[ShiftyPig]

You are wrong. My Coke example wasn't an analogy, simply another example where......

I'm going to laugh about this all day.

If only we had a word that was a synonym for example in which the underlying elements share a common theme. We could call that word something like..... analogy... or something.

 

[Atkins]

p.s. Apple is turning into a bunch of goofs. Its funny how they try and brainwash us into thinking ads are going to be 'cool'......and 'interesting'......since when is watching ad a luxury? haha I have never enjoyed watching ads during a tv show I am watching...not even once. Why would it be enjoyable on a phone?

Ads will always be there. Apple at least is trying to improve the experience.

 

[djsound]

well if they leave us with the choice of buying an app to not see ads that's fine. we have freedom........but I don't think that is the idea of iAds. If companies are spending millions to advertise im pretty sure the ads will get stuffed down our throats whether we like it or not...

 

[HLdan]

Wow. Just wow. I used to like reading these forums, you know? I don't post often but these forums used to places for discussion. Now I come here and half the time all I see are really angry people getting angry about nothing.
.

Amen! I just love how some people come here acting like idiots with these angry hate posts with things like,"Good, I hope the government NAILS APPLE". Why? It's none of anyone's business here so nobody here has any just cause for getting angry, again, it's none of their business to be acting this way. Some people here act like they get paid for acting so hateful.

 

[robotmonkey]

So you're saying that an app.... that a developer makes, tests, sells..... is Apple's product?

You're right in a sense that Apple is creating competition, in the same way as if I were to show up for a race and shoot the guy next to me in the leg once I see that he has a better track record than me. There's still a race, but I rigged it, possibly illegally, in my favor.

And it is creating more competition because it is further differentiating ios and android.. iAds is going to tick off a lot of consumers and they are going to move to android. Your shot-in-leg analogy is more appropriate describing a virus a company makes to put on another company's product.

 

[ShiftyPig]

Amen! I just love how some people come here acting like idiots with these angry hate posts with things like,"Good, I hope the government NAILS APPLE". Why? It's none of anyone's business here so nobody here has any just cause for getting angry, again, it's none of their business to be acting this way.

There are an awful lot of idiots around recently.

*looks at calendar*

Ah nuts, school is out for the summer.

 

[Jimmy James]

And as a consumer, I despise Apple for wasting time on something as stupid as iAds and a high res screen when the iPhone is lacking in so many other areas that customers would use.

Agreed. Like the ability to make phone ca...wait...I mean browse the we...wait... I mean listen to mus...oh, forget it.

 

[kernkraft]

If you don't like Apple and what Apple does, then fine. Buy something else.

If you don't like Macrumors as it is, then fine. Visit something else.

No matter what you do someone will think your an arsehole. I'm sure some of you think I am. You know what? I'm fine with that.

I entirely agree with you there. You're making a very valid point.

 

[donny77]

Good. Apple should not be able to tell developers which ad service to use.

They are not. They are telling ad services what information they can data mine. HUGE difference. The only possible anti-trust issues would arise if iAds is not following the same rules. There is no evidence that this is the case.

 

[robotmonkey]

If you don't like Macrumors as it is, then fine. Visit something else.




I entirely agree with you there. You're making a very valid point.

Just because he disagrees doesn't mean he doesn't like macrumors
And almost everybody has kept their head cool until your post. *******

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Does Google allow iAds on Android?

Does RIM allow iAds on their few apps?

Does Microsoft allow iAds on windows mobile?

Investigation!

None of them would more than likely care if apple made an iAd for those devices.

So instead it backfires on you.
Hell Rim more than likely would support iAd coming to their phones not stop it.

Maybe you didn't know or forgot that Apple just recently added BING as a search engine for all of their iProducts and the Mac in Safari. Google has always been the default search engine.

But Apple does not make a search engine. If apple eve does it is safe to assume they will try to block out competitors.

Apple has a long history of anti competitive tactics

 

[djsound]

A forum is for discussion is it not? Now I'm considered an 'idiot' by a 'cool' nerd...because I wont bend over and take it and just worship any move that Apple makes? I think iAds are retarded. Sure its a good idea of the guy making millions that thought of it....but we shouldn't be forced to look at them =) I don't think I am an idiot for having an opinion =)