Apple has faced several allegations of anti-competitive practices in several countries as investigations into the company’s dominant position continue. Now, the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the fact that Apple is forcing developers to use the “Sign in with Apple” button if the app has other third-party sign-in methods.
As reported by The information, researchers want to know if the “Sign in with Apple” button makes it harder for users to migrate to another platform, such as Android or Windows. While some members of Congress praise Apple for its privacy efforts, others believe the company has abused its control over the software on its devices to the detriment of its competitors.
Sources for the report said some developers began filing complaints about the sign-up button with U.S. investigators last summer. “Sign in with Apple” was introduced in 2019 as an easy and secure way to create an account on apps and websites with just an Apple ID.
Although using “Sign in with Apple” in iOS and Mac apps is somewhat optional for developers, Apple is forcing them to use their own solution if the app already offers sign-in via Facebook, Google or other services. Two developers told the DOJ that they removed all login buttons from their apps because they did not want to use Apple’s button.
Representatives of two iPhone app developers who complained to DOJ investigators about Apple’s requirements told The Information that after making Apple’s login button mandatory, they removed all login buttons from their app because they did not want to include Apple’s and possibly would not lose out on obtaining information about their customers.
These developers have told investigators that the Apple Button is cutting them off from their users, claiming that this is another method the company is using to entrench its control over its mobile devices.
Other developers believe that ‘Sign in with Apple’ is an excellent feature, as it is convenient for users, not to mention the privacy behind it, but at the same time it strengthens Apple’s power over developers. An Apple spokesman declined to comment on the antitrust investigation and reiterated that the login feature ensures the privacy of user data.
As indicated in the report, the DOJ’s antitrust investigation against Apple is being conducted by lawyers led by Manish Kuma, who is a ‘longtime veteran of the agency who heads the office of the antitrust unit in San Francisco’. Although there are several accusations about Apple being a monopoly, the decision to sue Apple may or may not take months or even years to determine.
Also read:
FTC: We use revenue to earn automatically affiliate links. More.
Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news: