Outgoing minister of the economy Vincent Van Quickenborne has ordered the Belgian competition authorities to investigate possible abuse from iPhone and iPad producer Apple, L'Express reported. The company required that a number of publishers offer their subscription exclusively at Apple's iTunes virtual store. Publishers not only had to pay Apple a 30 percent commission, but also faced the risk of losing customer contact, as Apple does not disclose iPad subscribers. According to Van Quickenborne, this is a case of a party abusing its power. If abuse is be found, the minister said the investigation could possibly be handed over to the European Commission. In May, the Federal Trade Commission and the US Department of Justice announced a number of investigations into the possible abuse by Apple of its dominant position in the market for smartphones and apps. No results have yet been disclosed.
