Apple Music Faces Antitrust Inverstigations
The attorneys general of New York and Connecticut are investigating whether music labels colluded or were pressured into favoring Apple's music subscription service, Apple Music, which was released on Monday. The investigation concerns whether participants in the music industry are seeking to act collusively to restrain competition among music streaming services, by working together to suppress the availability to consumers of free, advertising-supported, on-demand music streaming or similar services, such as those offered by Spotify and YouTube.
To address the concerns that Universal Music Group (UMG) understand underlie the investigation, UMG has determined to make certain representations to the Attorneys General, in a letter sent on Monday.
UMG says that it has no agreements with Apple or music companies like Sony Music and Warner Music that would impede the availability of free or ad-supported services, or prevent it from licensing its recorded music to any music streaming service.
Universal Music also said it offers limited exclusive content to some music streaming services where such exclusivity is not part of an agreement to restrain competition.
An Apple spokesman did not comment on the investigation.