In the wake of a massive antitrust lawsuit against Google, IAC CEO Joey Levin says that Apple is "worse" than the search giant and will likely be the next major target for competition regulators.
Levin, whose company operates internet properties, says that U.S. attorneys general "got it right" with their lawsuit against Google. Speaking to CNBC Friday, Levin said that Apple could be in the crosshairs of the next big antitrust crackdown.
"Apple's next, and I think Apple is, in many senses, worse," Levin said. His company, IAC, operates firms that have apps on Apple's App Store
The Cupertino tech giant has "forced companies into the system," Levin said, adding that "they have a monopoly, there's no way around it. And the fees are exorbitant, and that flows through to everybody."
Back in May, Levin openly criticized Apple's 30% of app and in-app purchases on the App Store. He called the fee "disgusting," and also complained about an alleged "quasi-monopoly."
Apple has defended the fee, claiming that it's on par with what other marketplace operators charge. Google too charges a 30% cut, but its Google Play store is less restricted. Both Apple and Google have launched programs slashing the commission for smaller businesses.
Levin, however, praised the crackdown on Google and the potential for regulators to go after Apple next.
"I think the world could use competition. I think the world could use some regulations around the scale of these businesses now, there's a lot of power concentrated in very few hands," Levin said. "It'll be good for innovation, if they can get it right."
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56 Comments
Opinion paid for by the Mountain View Ad Company.
“Apple is worse than Google when it comes to success.”
This guy is a piece of work. He's speaking from SELF INTEREST not the interest of the public.
Read his 'Bio'
https://www.iac.com/directors/joey-levin
A guy who has done nothing for anybody except run internet scams. Invented - nothing. Created - nothing but middlemen who feed of true inovators.
Ugh. Stupidity is contagious. Define a monopoly exactly and legally in how it applies to Apple, and only Apple apparently.
You don’t have to Participate in Apple’s ecosystem. Do something else or make your own. Remember 14 years ago when Apple introduced the iPhone it was ridiculed by the industry leaders. They said it would be a flop. There were well established players so they were doomed to fail. There is nothing but air and opportunity for the CEOs to do what Apple did. 24 years ago they were on the brink of bankruptcy. But instead of whining about Microsoft who had stolen their IP and outsmarted the Apple leaders of the time, they got to work and change the world multiple times.