Intel Suit Exposes 'Squishy' Antitrust Laws

Smaller rival AMD has long accused it of unfair practices

(NEWSER) - The FTC has opened a formal investigation of Intel over allegations of monopolistic business practices, the Wall Street Journal reports. The world's biggest semiconductor company, which denies any wrongdoing, received a subpoena this week. Intel also learned that it faces a $25.4 million antitrust fine from South Korea, even as it prepares to fight competitor AMD’s private antitrust lawsuit in Delaware’s District Court. More»

Chip maker accused of using threats, rewards to shut out competitors

(AP) - The Federal Trade Commission sued Intel today, looking to block tactics it says the world's biggest chip maker has used to snuff out competition. The FTC said Intel, which makes the microprocessors that run personal computers, has used both rewards and threats to discourage computer makers from buying competitors' chips or marketing computers that carry them. The complaint names Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and IBM as Intel's targets. More»

It lines up 12 companies ahead of possible antitrust suit

(NEWSER) - Busy times for Google, even beyond its social networking push :

• Lobbyist blitz: The company is apparently taking a potential antitrust investigation by the FTC very seriously, reports the Hill : Google is hiring no fewer than 12 top lobbying firms to make its case to lawmakers. “We have a strong story to tell about our business and we’ve sought out the best talent we can find to help tell it,” says a spokesperson.

Tech giant to receive subpoenas this week

(NEWSER) - The Federal Trade Commission will send Google subpoenas this week as it begins an antitrust probe into the search king. Officials are investigating whether the firm has taken unfair advantage of its leading position in the tech landscape. It’s the weightiest US investigation the company has thus faced: While others have focused on Google mergers and acquisitions, the FTC will examine concerns surrounding Google’s central venture—its search advertising, reports the Wall Street Journal . More»

Payment settles all antitrust and patent suits

(AP) - Intel says it is paying AMD, its largest rival in the computer chip market, $1.25 billion to settle all antitrust and patent suits, and has agreed to abide by a set of "business practice provisions." In return, AMD, which had been complaining to regulators for five years that Intel has broken antitrust laws to limit its market share, will drop suits in the US and Japan, and withdraw those complaints. More»