Not so fast, sonny
Now that it's the world's biggest technology company, Apple had better get used to its every move being closely scrutinised. In the past few days, two formal investigations into Apple have been confirmed and the FBI has announced it's looking into the AT&T security breach that revealed the email addresses of iPad 3G owners.
Back in May, smartphone-maker HTC filed a complaint with the ITC (International Trade Commission), alleging Apple has infringed on a few of its patents and calling for a ban on the sale of all the iPhone, iPad and iPod in the US. Now the ITC has confirmed it will look into the matter. Don't hold your breath though, as it reckons it will take a month and a half to even decide on a target date for completing the investigation.
Then, also on Friday, Bloomberg reported that the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) is the US agency that will look into the restrictions Apple is placing on its new iAd platform, to see if they are anti-competitive. The possibility of this happening had been raised by the FT the day before.
Finally, it has been widely reported that the FBI is looking into the security breach revealed late last week that involved users of the iPad 3G in the US - and its exclusive network partner AT&T. While this only indirectly concerns Apple, as the breach happened via AT&T's website, it's nonetheless another crack in the Apple edifice.
At times it's easy to believe Apple can do no wrong; its product launches attract the kind of mania not seen since the Beatles were at their peak and it has become a money-making machine. However, with all the increased scrutiny it's facing, Apple may decide it's time to change its traditionally passive approach to PR.
The NYT has published AT&T's letter to its customers, explaining the security breach, here.
