Apple investigated for price fixing in Canada

[nasty]

Just another thing wrong with the Mobility industry and greed from certain players jacking up prices across the board.  Competition doesn't exist unless big money allows it.
<<<<<<

December 12 2014

http://mobilesyrup.com/2014/12/12/apples-deals-with-canadian-carriers-led-to-higher-prices-says-comp...

Apple’s contracts with carriers like Rogers, Bell and TELUS may have led to higher prices for phones and, due to the stifling of competition, wireless pricing in general, says the Canadian Competition Bureau.

According to documents filed in Federal Court today as part of a nine-month investigation, Apple used the iPhone’s high demand to negotiate higher handset prices, as well as deals that promised more prominent exposure of its products in carrier stores and marketing materials. Apple is well-known for controlling the look and feel of its marketing, both in-store and print or broadcast.

While specifics are limited at this point, The Globe & Mail points out http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/apple-deal-may-have-hiked-canadian-prices-for-cell... that in an affidavit filed by Vincent Millette, a Bureau investigator, the organization found evidence that Apple artificially kept the prices of handsets higher by extracting promises that carriers would limit discounts of competitors’ devices. iPhones typically don’t drop in price until the next year’s model is revealed, while high-end Android phones from Samsung, LG, HTC and others fluctuate throughout the year.

[Dark_Knight]

@nasty  that's just a distraction from the Federal government. They don't want the average consumer to know that they are the reason prices are high and competition has been stifled in Canada. If they would allow foreign investment in telcos (greater than 20%), then we might actually see lower prices. 

Unfortunately, there is no incentive for foreign investors to come to Canada because we've made it impossible to build and operate a network. WIND is a great example of this....

I'm surprised you bought into it...it's a load of *insert poop emoticon*.

[nasty]

Not bought into it ,at all.      I do enjoy every time that the armor around Apple is ground away and we get to see the corruption under the media friendly shiny surface.  All we have to do is look at the whole illegitimate patent system and the massive amount of wasted court time because rounded corners and other things. 

Apple will pay a small fine and business as usual. Any small business Boss would be enjoying prison time for what crimes that large company's Boss do on a daily basis.

Far too much collusion between all the big companies and their easily bribed politicians too make realistic competition happen.  

Apple DRM on iTunes/iPod to prevent competition

http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/15/7395611/Apple-DRM-case-heads-to-jury

Update: Jury ignores prime point of the case, about how Apple software update that made malicious 'error message', causing need for reformat when non-iTunes music found(and loss of that content). Says Apple doesn't need to allow other providers on the device.

Apple eBook price fixing

http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/12/15/us-apple-ebooks-appeal-idINKBN0JT27Q20141215