The decision to block the Beeper Mini software for Android from texting and sending iMessage messages could drag Apple into an antitrust investigation.
More than a week ago, Apple strongly blocked Beeper Mini – an application that helps Android device users send and receive iMessage messages from the Apple ecosystem. The company accuses this software of illegally interfering with the iMessage platform and “contains many risks to the security and privacy of users”.
With the help of Beeper Mini, Android device owners can communicate directly with iPhone and iPad users without going through a third messaging application. However, the program also has some limitations such as low quality of shared images and videos, lack of end-to-end encryption, no read message notification, lack of response indicator
Apple recently said that next year, it will support the RCS protocol and most of today’s best features will work cross-platform between iOS and Android. But at present, the company is doing everything it can to protect iMessage, a feature that has become a “selling point” on the iPhone, helping to attract many users. It is also for this reason that Apple has not been willing to support RCS in messages for a long time.
But Apple’s protective moves, the latest of which is blocking the Beeper Mini, have made some lawmakers feel uneasy. Senator Elizabeth Warren called Appel’s actions “anti-competitive” and together with a group of bipartisan lawmakers sent a letter of complaint to US Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter.
The letter dated December 17 was recently shared in some media, showing that there is also the agreement of many people. Senator, House of Representatives other monks. All agreed to call Apple’s behavior “anti-competitive”. The letter also said that to keep American markets free and open, the Antitrust Bureau must be able to “control abuses of market power.”
The bipartisan group of lawmakers also emphasized that “Apple leaders have previously admitted that the company takes advantage of iMessage to ‘lock’ users into Apple’s device and service ecosystem. Beeper Mini threatens to reduce its advantage.” This creates a more competitive mobile application market, which in turn leads to a more competitive mobile device market.” The letter also cited the US Department of Commerce’s “Competition in the Mobile Application Ecosystem” report, mentioning Apple as a “gatekeeper” to the mobile software ecosystem.
Lawmakers fear that Apple’s recent actions to block the Beeper Mini application will hurt market competition, harm users, and “suppress innovation and development.” future-proofing the interactive messaging industry”. Therefore, they requested to bring the matter to the Antimonopoly Department to investigate the possibility of Apple violating the law.