News that will alternately trouble and relieve Apple: Google’s AdMob deal has been approved by the US antitrust regulator.
Saying that the buyout of AdMob by Google is unlikely to “harm competition” in the sphere of mobile advertising, the FTC has completed its investigation of Google’s possible $750 million AdMob acquisition.
Commenting on the similar ventures by Apple with Quattrro Wireless and iAds, the FTC went on to say: “Although the combination of the two leading mobile advertising networks raised serious antitrust issues, the agency’s concerns were ultimately overshadowed by recent developments in the market, most notably a move by Apple Computer Inc — the maker of the iPhone — to launch its own, competing mobile ad network.”
“As a result of Apple’s entry [into the market], AdMob’s success to date on the iPhone platform is unlikely to be an accurate predictor of AdMob’s competitive significance going forward, whether AdMob is owned by Google or not.”