Japan To Probe Apple, Google On Antitrust Concerns

The Japanese government is said to be preparing another antitrust probe into both tech giants Apple and Google, the media reported. Apple has been the subject of multiple antitrust probes alongside other tech giants, including Google.

It seems that Japan will be adding its own investigation to the pile soon, one that will affect both the iPhone maker and the search giant.

A government panel will apparently launch this month to look into tightening antitrust regulations, according to sources of Nikkei in a report seen by the Mercury News.

The panel will discuss the dealings of Apple and Google with Japanese smartphone producers, including whether they handle domestic companies fairly compared to overseas vendors.

It is believed that iOS and Android make up more than 90 per cent of the Japanese smartphone market, according to the report.

An analysis by IDC in February pointed to Apple selling nearly half of all mobile phones in the country for the entirety of 2020.

The alleged Japanese probe will become the latest in a long line of similar activity by governments and regulators around the world, seeking to curtail the power of tech giants like Apple.

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