FTC postpones decision on Apple’s self-correction plan to August

The Fair Trade Commission has postponed its decision on Apple’s corrective measures regarding its unfair practices in business with Korean mobile carriers, according to the antitrust watchdog on Tuesday.

The FTC has been deliberating Apple’s consent order, applied on June 4 with the intention to close the case by taking self-corrective measures.

“Due to the prolonging discussion on the details of the matter, the FTC has decided to put off the deadline for its decision, which was initially set for July 17, by one month,” an FTC official said.

The consent order allows businesses to take self-correction plans and have the FTC close the case in which they are found with problematic practices, if the commission’s deliberation committee approves.

The US tech titan is accused of passing on the costs of its iPhones sales to local telecom firms, including the costs of advertising, launch events and repairs.

The company had pledged to adopt a consultation process to help reduce the costs burdened by the local carriers, measures to reduce its unfair proposals of transaction conditions and intervention in the carriers’ management issues and a plan to set a fund for co-prosperity of small-size firms, program developers and consumers.

The FTC began its probe on Apple in 2016 and indicted the US phone maker on charges of vilating the country’s fair trade law in 2018.

By Song Su-hyun (song@heraldcorp.com)